Kenna
KE-nuh
Kenna is a Scottish and Irish feminine name, either a short form of Mackenna or a feminine form of Kenneth.
Kenneth derives from the Scottish Gaelic Cionaodh, possibly composed of cion (“respect, affection”) and aodh (“fire”), giving a meaning of “born of fire” or “handsome.”
The name has been used in Scotland as a given name in its own right since at least the 19th century, though it has always been rare compared to its masculine source. Its use as a feminine short form of Mackenna is more recent.
What the name Kenna means
Kenna peaked at No. 661 in 2016 with 444 births. In 2024 it ranks No. 725 with 388 births, holding at a consistent low level.
The name fits comfortably in the family of short feminine Scottish-Irish names—Fiona, Nora, Brynn, Kenna—that have found favor in American naming as parents seek Celtic-rooted alternatives to more common names.
Two syllables—KEN-ah—are crisp and warm. The hard opening and soft close give it the approachable quality of names like Emma and Anna without the same level of saturation.
Parents who choose Kenna often want a Scottish-flavored name that is short, easy to spell, and genuinely distinctive without being invented or obscure.
Related names include McKenna, Makena, Kenzie, and Kendall—all sharing the same Ken- opening with different Celtic backgrounds.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Kenna
Kenna - similar names
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