Holding steady.
Popularity of Keny since 1980
Babies named Keny per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 20 |
| 1990s | 52 |
| 2000s | 87 |
| 2010s | 49 |
| 2020s | 9 |
Meaning & origin
Keny is a rare given name with unclear origins, often used as a modern diminutive or variant of Kenneth or Kenyon. According to U.S. Social Security data, the name first appeared in records in 1980, and it maintained a low but stable level of usage through the 2010s, with a peak in 2010. In the most recent year available, 2025, Keny remains below the threshold for a ranked position, with fewer than five births per year nationally. Its trajectory has been stable rather than trending upward or downward. Because of its rarity, no top states can be identified. Keny fits a pattern of modern, clipped names popular in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Keny is a modern diminutive or respelling of Kenneth, a name of Scottish and Irish origin derived from the Gaelic Cináed, meaning 'born of fire' or 'handsome.' It may also be a variant of Kenyon, an English surname from a place name, or a simple coined form. Its use as an independent given name emerged in the late 20th century in the United States.
“Keny” around the world
Where Keny lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Keny
Names that share Keny's style, for a brother or sister.
