Holding steady.
Popularity of Kearney since 1914
Babies named Kearney per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1924, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Kearney's real moment was 1914.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 37 |
| 1920s | 0 | 45 |
| 1930s | 0 | 54 |
| 1940s | 0 | 57 |
| 1950s | 0 | 50 |
| 1960s | 0 | 16 |
| 1970s | 0 | 5 |
| 1980s | 0 | 5 |
| 1990s | 12 | 0 |
| 2000s | 29 | 6 |
| 2010s | 11 | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Kearney is a rare given name drawn from an Irish surname, first recorded in 1914. Its peak year of usage was also 1914, the same year it first appeared, suggesting only a handful of occurrences. The name has remained out of the top 1000 for generations, and its trajectory is classified as stable, meaning it has seen negligible change in usage over time. With no top states associated, Kearney appears as a truly uncommon choice, likely passed down as a family surname. Its meaning ties to victory, which may appeal to those seeking a distinct Irish heritage name.
Kearney is an Irish surname that has seen occasional use as a given name. It is derived from the Gaelic Ó Cearnaigh, meaning 'descendant of Cearnach', where Cearnach itself means 'victorious' or 'warlike'. The name was historically borne by an Irish clan in County Mayo. The given name likely emerged as a transfer of the surname, following a pattern common in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Sibling names for Kearney
Names that share Kearney's style, for a brother or sister.
