Meanings
plural Kenneths
- countableuncountableA male given name from Scottish Gaelic, originally used in Scotland, popular in all English-speaking countries in the 20th century.
"The other one, his name was Kenneth, was born in February nineteen twenty-one." "All these Kens," she said.
1998 Barbara Vine ( Ruth Rendell ): The Chimney Sweeper's Boy. →ISBN page 1661 more example
Know, however, that among the soldiers of the Cross I am called Kenneth - Kenneth of the Couching Leopard; at home I have other titles, but they would sound harsh in an Eastern ear.
1825, Sir Walter Scott, chapter III, in The Talisman - countableuncountableA surname from Scottish Gaelic.
Origin
- Pictish*ᚉᚔᚅᚔᚑᚇ
- Old IrishCináed
- EnglishKenneth
Anglicized form of two Goidelic names, Old Irish Cináed, the name of Scottish kings derived from Pictish *ᚉᚔᚅᚔᚑᚇ (Ciniod), and the saint's name Cainnech (literally “handsome”) (modern Scottish Gaelic Coinneach), as in the surname Mackenzie.
More words from Old Irish, Pictish
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic كِينِيث
- كِينِيث (kīnīṯ)male given name
Chinese Mandarin 肯尼思
- 肯尼思 (Kěnnísī)male given name
Greek Κενέτας, Κορνήλιος
- Κενέτας (Kenétas)male given name
- Κορνήλιος (Kornílios)male given name
- Κένεθ (Kéneth)male given name
Italian Canizio
- Caniziomale given name
Japanese ケネス
- ケネス (Kenesu)male given name
Korean 케네스
- 케네스 (Keneseu)male given name
Portuguese Kenneth
- Kennethmale given name
Russian Ке́ннет
- Ке́ннет (Kɛ́nnɛt)male given name
Scottish Gaelic Coinneach
- Coinneachmale given name
Spanish Kenneth
- Kennethmale given name
Cite this entry
Kenneth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kenneth
“Kenneth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kenneth. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Kenneth,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kenneth.
Source: Kenneth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.