Kenyah
The Kenyah people are an indigenous, Austronesian-speaking people of Borneo, living in interior North and East Kalimantan, Indonesia and Sarawak, Malaysia. Categorised as a part of the Dayak people, they are similar to their neighbours, the Kayan people, with which they are grouped together with the Bahau people under the Apo Kayan people group.
Meaning & Origin of Kenyah
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The Kenyah people are an indigenous, Austronesian-speaking people of Borneo, living in interior North and East Kalimantan, Indonesia and Sarawak, Malaysia. Categorised as a part of the Dayak people, they are similar to their neighbours, the Kayan people, with which they are grouped together with the Bahau people under the Apo Kayan people group.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kenyah
Kenyah first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1994, with 15 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 30 Kenyahs were born — ranking #4,808 that year. As of 2026, Kenyah ranks #12,180 for baby girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 415 Kenyahs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Kenyah
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Francisca Luhong James - Miss Universe Malaysia 2020 and a part-time model. She is of mixed Kayan , Kenyah and Iban lineage.
- Yurnalis Ngayoh , Governor east Kalimantan
- Joseph Kalang Tie , professional footballer and Malaysia National Team representative. He hails from Long Ikang, Baram and is of Kenyah- Malaysian Chinese parentage.
- Larissa Ping Liew , Miss World Malaysia 2018 . She is of Malaysian Chinese -Kenyah parentage.
- Lerby Eliandry
- Tommy Mawat Bada - Malaysian footballer player
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Kenyah
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kenyah 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 Kenyah
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About the name Kenyah
Kenyah is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1994 and has accumulated 415 births in the dataset. Kenyah's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #4,808. Use the chart and map above to compare Kenyah's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all girl 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.