Kenyon

Meaning of Kenyon

Kenyon is a masculine given name of Anglo‐American usage that derives from an English toponymic surname, originally recorded in Lancashire during the twelfth century as “Kenion” and etymologically composed of the Old English elements cyning (“king”) and tūn (“enclosure” or “settlement”). Historically borne by a landed family in North West England—later elevated to the British peerage with the creation of the barony of Kenyon in 1788—the name carries associations of governance, heritage and legal distinction. In the United States, Kenyon has exhibited a gradual trajectory of fluctuating popularity over the past century: it reached its zenith in the mid-1970s (ranking 517th in 1974), declined through the late twentieth century, and has since experienced a modest resurgence, ranking 894th with thirty recorded male births in 2024. Pronounced KEN-yuhn (/ˈkɛn.jən/), Kenyon offers a choice that marries historical depth with contemporary American sensibilities.