Kenneth is the Anglicized form of two Gaelic names, Cinaed, "born of fire", and Coinneach, "handsome". Kenneth MacAlpin, the 9th-century king who united the Picts and Scots, is its most famous bearer, and in America the name was a top 20 favorite for much of the mid-20th century. Kenneth ranked 94th in 2000, its last year in the top 100, and has slid gently since to number 294 in 2025.