Ken
Ken is a masculine given name of Japanese and Scottish Gaelic origin.
Meaning & Origin of Ken
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ken is a masculine given name of Japanese and Scottish Gaelic origin.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ken
Ken first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1900, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1960, when 1,776 Kens were born — ranking #177 that year. As of 2026, Ken ranks #3,657 for baby boys with 31 births, falling sharply (-34%). In total, more than 33K Kens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Ken
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Ken (musician) (born 1968), Japanese musician and member of the bands L'Arc-en-Ciel and Sons of All Pussys
- Ken Akamatsu ( 赤松 健 ; born 1968) , Japanese author
- Ken Anderson (quarterback) (born 1949), American quarterback
- Ken Anderson (wrestler) (born 1976), American professional wrestler known under the ring name Mr. Kennedy
- Ken Barrie (1933–2016), English voice actor and singer
- Ken Block (disambiguation) , multiple people
- Ken Bowersox (born 1956), American astronaut
- Ken Bruce (born 1951), Scottish DJ
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Ken
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ken is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ken
What does the name Ken mean?
How popular is Ken in 2026?
When was Ken most popular?
In which U.S. states is Ken most popular?
Is Ken a unisex name?
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About the name Ken
Ken is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1900 and has accumulated 33K births in the dataset. Ken's peak popularity came in 1960 when it ranked #177. Use the chart and map above to compare Ken's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1960 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.