boy's name
Kendrick
KEN-drik (English)
- Origin English, Welsh, Scottish
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 8
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 36,390
the United States
#535
2025 births
Kendrick is a boy's name from a surname with several origins. It may come from the Welsh Cynwrig, the Old English Cyneric, "royal power," or the Scottish MacHenry. Rapper Kendrick Lamar has made it strongly familiar to modern American parents.
- Kendrick is a name of English, Welsh, Scottish origin.
- Peaked in 2013, when 1,054 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 5,878 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1912.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Kendrick Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 113 |
| 1920s | 181 |
| 1930s | 126 |
| 1940s | 217 |
| 1950s | 284 |
| 1960s | 711 |
| 1970s | 3,995 |
| 1980s | 5,496 |
| 1990s | 6,320 |
| 2000s | 4,892 |
| 2010s | 7,651 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,956 |
What Kendrick Means
Kendrick is often read as royal ruler, from the Old English elements cyne and ric. The Welsh and Scottish lines carry other senses, so it has no single meaning.
Where Kendrick Comes From
Three unrelated sources combined. Welsh Cynwrig is an old personal name of uncertain sense. Old English Cyneric joined cyne, royal, and ric, power, and gave Kenrick as a surname in the Midlands. Scots surnames such as Machendrie, son of Henry, were sometimes Anglicized as Kendrick and MacKendrick. Wikipedia lists these lines, and NameDiscoveries favors the Old English. The surname Kendrick spread in England and Wales, and families took it to the United States, where it moved into first-name use during the twentieth century.
Kendrick in Use
Actress Anna Kendrick carries the surname, and basketball player Kendrick Perkins the first name. Rapper Kendrick Lamar, winner of a Pulitzer Prize for music, is its most prominent bearer.
How Popular Is Kendrick?
In 2025, Kendrick was given to 564 babies in the United States, ranking #535 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Kendrick Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Kendrick
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Kendrick Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Kendrick over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Kendrick
- English KEN-drik /ˈkɛndrɪk/
1 nickname for Kendrick
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Sibling Names for Kendrick
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Kendrick — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Kendrick
What does the name Kendrick mean?
Royal ruler in Old English, with Welsh and Scottish roots too.
Is Kendrick a Welsh name?
One line comes from Welsh Cynwrig.
Is Kendrick a first name?
Yes, though it began as a surname.
How popular is the name Kendrick?
In 2025, Kendrick was given to 564 babies in the United States, ranking #535 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Kendrick a girl's or a boy's name?
Kendrick is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Kendrick?
Kendrick has 2 syllables.
When was Kendrick most popular?
Kendrick peaked in 2013, when 1,054 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Kendrick?
Kendrick is usually shortened to Ken.
Is Kendrick a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Kendrick currently ranks #535 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.