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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Kenai — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Kenady|Kenan
English◈ Unisex · 56% boy · 44% girl↑↑ Surging

◈= unisex (gender-neutral)

Kenai

◈

KEN-eye · 2 syllables

Share Kenai:
Compare with another name
Boy
#772
↑↑ Surging
Boy
#772
Popularity score: 33
↑↑ Surging
Peak
#772 in 2024
5yr
+188 ranks
Velocity
+188
Birth frequency
9.1 per 100,000 births
Girl
#16432
Popularity score: 2
↓ Declining
Peak
#14287 in 2020
5yr
-37 ranks
Velocity
-37
Birth frequency
1.4 per 1,000,000 births

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

BOY
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #772 · Rising since 2020

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
English boy names
Kenai

Popularity score: 33  ·  SSA Rank: #772

GIRL
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #16432 · Falling since 2020

All US girl names
Top 200 girl names
English girl names
Kenai

Popularity score: 2  ·  SSA Rank: #16432

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
94
Higher than 94% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
↑↑ Surging
+188 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Limited
.com taken · — · clear
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
80
2 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Kenai is surging in popularity right now.

Meaning Depth37% of score
60
Name Trend28% of score
88
Uniqueness20% of score
80
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
Native AmericanPlace NameUnisexNatureGeographical2-syllableAlaskaModernCoolGrounded
STRONG
High confidence

Kenai is an English unisex name with upward momentum in SSA rankings. It ranked #772 in the US in 2024.

Trend:↑↑ Surging · +188 ranks
Feasibility:.com taken · — · clear
Popularity:#772 · rare
Kenai at a Glance
Meaning:A place name from Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula. In Tlingit tradition, connected to the land and coastal geography of southeastern Alaska.
Language root:Tlingit · Alaska Native
Peak rank:#772 in 2024
5yr change:+188 ranks
Sex usage:Boy #772 · Girl #16432
Notable bearers
Kenai (character inspiration)
Disney's Brother Bear protagonist—popularized the name in mainstream US culture
Similar Sound
Kai◈KenoKenjiKian◈Keny◈
Similar Style
KodiakYukonDakota◈Aspen◈River◈Remy◈
Works well with
Kai◈River◈Aspen◈Sage◈Rowan◈Finn◈Wren◈Avery◈
You Might Also Like
Kodiak
Scandinavian · #3928
→ Stable
Yukon
English · —
→ Stable
River◈
English · #112
→ Stable
Remy◈
French · #400
→ Stable
Jack
English · #15
→ Stable
Hudson
English · #22
→ Stable
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Kenai illustration
Name Intelligence
Kenai · Overview
Summary

Kenai is an English unisex name with upward momentum in SSA rankings. It ranked #772 in the US in 2024.

Search interest: 3/100 → Stable

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Kenai scores 94/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Surging fast
Rank has moved 188 positions in the last year. Exceptional momentum.
Works for any sex
56% boy · 44% girl. A genuinely unisex name is rare at this level of distinctiveness.
Nature · Modern character
Kenai carries a cool, grounded quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Rising very fast
Kenai is surging. If the trend continues, it may become significantly more common within 2-3 years.
Domain taken
kenai.com is not available. Alternative TLDs may work.
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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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