Kenya

Meaning: Possibly mountain with brightness
Origin: Kikuyu — From Mount Kenya, whose peaks of black rock and white snow were likened to the feathers of an ostrich

Girl's name · #2499 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Popularity over time

Few names move less than Kenya — on the books since 1952, #2499 in 2025, and dependable in between. Roughly 25,000 girls have carried the name since.

Across the states

See where Kenya is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 10 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Kenya ranks in other countries and regions.

#599 in Ecuador (2025) · #2,730 in Canada (2025) · #3,900 in Italy (2024) · #5,175 in France (2025) · #5,927 in England & Wales (2025) · #2,782 in Austria (2024) · #2,300 in Sweden (2023) · #484 in Puerto Rico (2008) · #722 in Scotland (2006).

Famous Kenyas

Kenya Moore — American actress (born 1971)
Kenya Kinski-Jones — American fashion model (born 1993)
Kenya Grace — British singer, songwriter, and record producer (born 1998)
Kenya Mori — Mexican actress (born 1976)
Kenya Hathaway — American singer (born 1971)

In stories & tradition

Kenya Leavitt — It Takes Guts

What Kenyas become

Among 82 notable people named Kenya:

Spellings & nicknames

Together with its spelling variant Kenia (#1253), Kenya would rank around #1003 with about 250 births last year — the newborns split about 72/28 between Kenia and Kenya.

Similar names: Kenia · Bridgette · Kenley · Tania · Leanne · Sonya

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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