What Does the Name Kennedy Mean?

Kennedy is a unisex name of Irish origin meaning “"Helmeted head" (descendant of Cennétig).”

Updated June 2026

Name	Kennedy
Gender	unisex
Origin	Irish
Meaning	"Helmeted head" (descendant of Cennétig)
Variants	Kennedi, Kenedy, Kennedey
Popularity	Predominantly given to girls in the US, ranking in the top 100 in the 2010s.

The meaning and origin of Kennedy

The name Kennedy means “"Helmeted head" (descendant of Cennétig)” and has Irish origins. An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cinnéidigh, from 'ceann' (head) + 'éidigh', interpreted as 'helmeted head'. Its use as a given name honors the prominent Kennedy family.

Variants and related names

Kennedy is related to several other names you may recognize: Kennedi, Kenedy, Kennedey. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.

How popular is the name Kennedy?

Predominantly given to girls in the US, ranking in the top 100 in the 2010s.

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