Kermit

Meaning of Kermit

Kermit (KER-mit /ˈkərmɪt/) is a masculine name of Manx origin, derived from the surname Kermode—itself an Anglicization of the Gaelic Mac Diarmata, meaning “son of Dermot.” Adopted into English usage in the early 20th century, the name is most famously associated with Jim Henson’s creation, Kermit the Frog (introduced in 1955), whose cultural prominence both popularized and anchored the name in popular imagination. In North Carolina, Kermit’s recorded use peaked in 1914 with 29 newborns (rank 71) and thereafter showed modest fluctuations—hovering in the mid-range through the 1940s and ’50s—before gradually declining to six occurrences (rank 138) by 1976. Though never common, Kermit endures as a technically precise, historically grounded choice with strong literary and media associations.