Comments on: Name of the Day: Kenneth

By: Baby Name of the Day: Ismay | Appellation Mountain

Baby Name of the Day: Ismay | Appellation Mountain — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:03:57 +0000

[...] to the word dismay, it is possible to imagine Ismay as the perfect name for a tragic figure. Ken Follett’s 2007 novel of medieval England World Without End is a treasure trove of lovely [...]

By: Baby Name of the Day: Laura | Appellation Mountain

Baby Name of the Day: Laura | Appellation Mountain — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:07:15 +0000

[...] Laura I Love Her” was a 1960s hit for two different singers. Kenny Rogers recorded a single titled “Laura” in 1979. Five years later, Christopher Cross [...]

By: Kenny

Kenny — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:47:13 +0000

Thanks for the post about my name. I don’t know if I’ve every met anyone who didn’t love their own name, but I think Kenny’s a great name. But my uncle and my grandfather were Kenneths. As a Kenny growing up (born in 1977) I occasionally got the “where’s Barbie” line. I also can’t tell you how many times this conversation goes down.

“What’s your name?”
“Kenny.”
“Kenny G?”

Seriously, how dumb is that, but at least during the early 90′s it happened all the time.

I would say that I’ve found it to be a very uncommon name. Other than my own family, I’ve only known 3-5 other Ken, Kenny or Kenneths (although I office right next door to one now). This has always made me feel pretty unique. From someone who’s lived with it for over 30 years, I think it’s a great name!

By: Shannon

Shannon — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:48:57 +0000

I have an uncle Kenny (never called Kenneth that I know of). Does sound a little dated to my ear, but certainly a usable name. Maybe I’d use in the middle.

By: appellationmountain

appellationmountain — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:49:22 +0000

Lola, I hope your Kenneth enjoys hearing that his name is such a hit here!

And Cat, “aging gracefully” is a great way to think about this one.

Kayt, James Kenneth is such a fabulous combination! It’s rock solid – very confidence inspiring. Like Kate said, Kenneth is distinguished and respectable.

Emmy Jo, I can’t think of a term that captures your concept – but “somewhere between classic and throwback/retro” is definitely a comfortable spot for many of us. I used the term “sensible” for my girls’ list – that’s as close as I could come to describing the idea!

By: Kate

Kate — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 10:53:53 +0000

Ohh I agree, Kenneth is quite the dashing, distinguised, respectable chap isn’t he ?! I would be delighted to hear of a young Kenneth, it would be such a refreshingly unexpected choice. I don’t mind Ken as a nickname either but am really not so keen on Kenny, he’s is a real no go area for me.

By: Emmy Jo

Emmy Jo — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 04:55:07 +0000

I find Kenneth dashing. It’s in my top-10 list for a future son. Yes, it definitely has an older feel, but it’s SO handsome. For me, it’s probably helped by the fact that the three Kenneth’s I know best (two close friends from my undergrad days and one from grad school) are all around my age (late 20′s), so it doesn’t sound that dated. I didn’t grow up watching South Park, so I don’t really mind the Kenny references.

It seems the sort of name that would be a bit unexpected on a modern child but still perfectly suitable. It hovers somewhere between classic and throwback/retro, and I think that’s a place I’m very comfortable.

By: Kayt

Kayt — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:44:57 +0000

Thanks! I find Kenneth handsome, if a bit dated to my own ear. It’s my son’s middle name. It’s too common in my husband’s family to have as a first name (four of them in the immediate family!), plus, with my husband being Kevin Kenneth, I think that’s too many K names!

By: Lola

Lola — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:07:06 +0000

My other half’s a Kenneth and yes, I got the “Barbie” jokes in HS. Didn’t help any that I was blonde & light eyed and skinny back then! I agree that the name’s aging gracefully, just as he is. If he wasn’t a Kennth, i’d probably still like the name. I find it rather dashing as a whole. Unlike Cat, I’m a sucker for Th and Ph sounds, they figure ointo a lot of my favorites, especia;lly for girls! Ken is a decent enough sound for a short form, too. Nice & even sounds, a strong feel and a lovely historical presence makes Kenneth a name I like, even if it weren’t attached to the love of my life! I’ll have to show this to him later tonight, He hates his name, thinks it’s dated. And no matter how I tell him it’s not quite as bad as he thinks, he persists. So maybe this will help him come to terms with his name. Now, If only Wayne could have aged as gracefully!

By: Cat

Cat — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:36:55 +0000

Kenneth is a thoroughly respectable name. I think it was Laura Wattenberg who said something about how it may be showing grey, but it is also aging gracefully. I have to agree, both about the name, and the kind of person I imagine carrying it. I imagine a Kenneth as something of a silver fox, a la George Clooney (or Rahm Emmanuel, rawr).

As for the sound, I don’t care for th enders, they sound lispy to me more often than not, but Kenneth’s other strong sounds make up for it a bit and I find the name completely handsome. All in all, not something I’d pick, but I do like to seem them around.