Kenyon is an uncommon yet distinctive given name of American origin. It has gained popularity since the mid-20th century, although it remains relatively rare compared to other names. The name Kenyon is believed to have originated from a surname that was derived from Old English elements "cyning" meaning 'king' and "tun" meaning 'town'. Therefore, the name Kenyon could be interpreted as 'king's town'. However, there is no historical evidence of this name being used as an actual place name. As a given name, Kenyon is considered unisex but is more commonly used for males. It has not been ranked among the top 1000 most popular names in recent years, giving it a unique and uncommon appeal. Some notable individuals with the name Kenyon include American football player Kenyon Coleman and Canadian ice hockey player Kenyon Martin.
"Kenyon experienced significant fluctuations in births from 1969 to 2007, with peak years like 1974 (13 births) and troughs such as 1971 and 1978 (both 5 births). The name's popularity appears to have declined after the mid-1990s, with several years having only 5 or fewer births."