Kennedy is a surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Ó Cinnéide or Cinnéidigh, meaning "descendant of Cinnédidh". The name Cinnédidh itself is believed to come from the Old Irish words "cinn", meaning "head" or "chief", and "édigh", meaning "helmet" or "armor". The Kennedy family is well-known in American history, particularly for President John F. Kennedy and his brothers Robert and Ted Kennedy, who were all prominent political figures in the 20th century.
Kennedy rank report (US ranking for newborns 2021)
- Rank 66. Autumn
- Rank 67. Leilani
- Rank 68. Savannah
- Rank 69. Valentina
- Rank 70. Kennedy
- Rank 71. Madelyn
- Rank 72. Josephine
- Rank 73. Bella
- Rank 74. Skylar
Nicknames for Kennedy
| Ken | ken | Shortened version of Kennedy. |
| Kenny | ken-ee | Common nickname for Kennedy. |
| Ned | ned | A traditional nickname for Kennedy. |
| Kendall | ken-dahl | A nickname that plays off the first syllable of Kennedy. |
| Ked | ked | A shortened version of Kennedy. |
| Kay | kay | A nickname that uses the first letter of Kennedy. |
| Kade | kayd | A nickname that plays off the first syllable of Kennedy. |
Famous people named Kennedy
| John F. Kennedy | 35th President of the United States | He was a prominent political figure who served as the President of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. |
| Robert F. Kennedy | American politician and attorney general | He was the younger brother of John F. Kennedy and served as the Attorney General of the United States from 1961 until 1964. |
| Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis | First Lady of the United States | She was the wife of John F. Kennedy and served as the First Lady of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. |
| Caroline Kennedy | American author and diplomat | She is the daughter of John F. Kennedy and served as the Ambassador to Japan from 2013 until 2017. |
| Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. | American businessman and diplomat | He was the father of John F. Kennedy and served as the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1938 until 1940. |
| Ted Kennedy | American politician | He was the younger brother of John F. Kennedy and served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1962 until his death in 2009. |
| Rose Kennedy | American philanthropist and socialite | She was the wife of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and the mother of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Ted Kennedy. |
| Arnold Kennedy | New Zealand rugby union player | He was a prominent rugby union player who played for the New Zealand national team from 1946 until 1950. |
| Jamie Kennedy | American actor and comedian | He is a well-known actor and comedian who has appeared in numerous films and television shows. |
| George Kennedy | American actor | He was a well-known actor who appeared in numerous films and television shows, including the Naked Gun series and Cool Hand Luke. |
Fictional character called Kennedy from pop culture
| Kennedy | Buffy the Vampire Slayer character | One of Buffy's classmates who becomes a vampire and is killed by Buffy |
| Kennedy | The L Word character | A love interest of Willow in the TV series The L Word |
| Kennedy | Scream character | A character in the Scream franchise, portrayed by Roger Jackson |
| Kennedy | Clone High character | A character in the animated TV series Clone High, voiced by Christa Miller |
| Kennedy | Nip/Tuck character | A recurring character in the TV series Nip/Tuck, portrayed by Jessalyn Gilsig |
| Kennedy | The West Wing character | A fictional character in the TV series The West Wing, portrayed by Mary McCormack |
| Kennedy | X-Men character | A character in the X-Men comics, a member of the X-Men and a love interest of Peter Rasputin (Colossus) |
| Kennedy | Transformers character | A character in the Transformers franchise, a member of the Autobots who transforms into a car |
| Kennedy | The Umbrella Academy character | A character in the comic book series The Umbrella Academy, a member of the Sparrow Academy |
Frequently Asked Questions about Kennedy
| What is the origin of the name Kennedy? | The name Kennedy is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Cinnéide", meaning "descendant of Cinnédidh". |
| Is Kennedy a popular name? | Kennedy is a moderately popular name in the United States, ranking as the 591st most popular name for girls and the 491st most popular name for boys in 2020. |
| Who are some famous people with the name Kennedy? | Some famous people with the name Kennedy include John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Caroline Kennedy. |
| Is Kennedy a unisex name? | Yes, Kennedy is considered a unisex name and is given to both boys and girls. |
| What are some alternative spellings of the name Kennedy? | Some alternative spellings of the name Kennedy include Kennedi, Kennedie, and Kennedee. |
| What is the meaning of the name Kennedy? | The name Kennedy means "helmeted head" or "ugly head" in Gaelic, but it is also sometimes interpreted as "misshapen head" or "head with a blemish". |