Girl · #12,360 in 2026

Kenessa

A kenesa is an Eastern European or Persian Karaite synagogue.

Current Rank
#12,360
Peak Rank
#12,360 (1989)
Total Babies
5
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1989
First Year
1989
Last Year
1989
Peak Year
#12360
Peak Rank
5
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kenessa

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A kenesa is an Eastern European or Persian Karaite synagogue.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The word derives from Arabic كنيسة "church" or كنيس "synagogue" (ultimately from the Semitic root k-n-s in the sense of "to assemble") and is first found in Karaim and Karaite Hebrew texts from the late nineteenth century. Before this, and commonly after, Karaites used the standard Jewish terms בית הכנסת and synagogue . In Galicia , the word was often shortened to kensa as early as 1903. In Russian it is usually pronounced кенасá (kenasá) with an ultimate stress. Some claim it has a Persian or Aramaic origin.

The Story of Kenessa

Kenessa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1989, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1989, when 5 Kenessas were born — ranking #12,360 that year. As of 2026, Kenessa ranks #12,360 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Kenessas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Kenessa

Phonetically similar names — useful when Kenessa 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 Kenessa

What does the name Kenessa mean?
A kenesa is an Eastern European or Persian Karaite synagogue.
How popular is Kenessa in 2026?
In 2026, Kenessa ranks #12,360 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Kenessa most popular?
Kenessa reached its peak popularity in 1989, ranking #12,360 that year with 5 babies given the name.
Is Kenessa a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Kenessa is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Kenessa?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kenessa include Alair, Alexaray, Alexendria. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Alair
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Alexaray
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👧
Alexendria
Peak #12360
👧
Alish
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👧
Amandaleigh
Peak #12360
👧
Ambrosha
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Andrienna
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Angeliqu
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About the name Kenessa

Kenessa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1989 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Kenessa's peak popularity came in 1989 when it ranked #12,360. Use the chart and map above to compare Kenessa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.