Kenny is a name of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Cormac. It means "warlike" or "having a short nose." The name Kenny is also associated with the Irish sept of O'Kennedy, which was one of the most powerful and influential families in medieval Ireland.
The name Kenny has been used for centuries, but it gained popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century. Today, Kenny is still a popular given name for boys, although its usage has declined slightly in recent years.
One notable bearer of the name Kenny was Kenny Loggins, an American musician and songwriter who achieved fame in the 1970s and 1980s as part of the duo Loggins and Messina. Another famous Kenny is Ken Jennings, an American game show contestant known for his record-breaking streak on the TV game show Jeopardy!.
The name Kenny experienced a significant rise in popularity from the early 20th century to its peak in the mid-20th century. With a total of 51,634 births recorded over the period from 1908 to 2023, Kenny reached its highest point in 1959 with 1,763 births. However, since the late 1960s, there has been a steady decline in the number of newborn girls named Kenny, with only 160 births recorded in both 2022 and 2023.