Kennedy

From a surname meaning “descendant of Ceannéidigh”; the older name has competing interpretations.

Kennedy comes to first-name use through a surname with Irish and Scottish Gaelic roots. The Irish descent name means “descendant of Ceannéidigh”. The ancestral personal name is often interpreted as “ugly-headed”; an older explanation gives “helmeted-head”. Neither description is a judgment about anyone named Kennedy today. As a given name, Kennedy is used for girls and boys in English. Its strong K opening and three-part English rhythm give it a brisk, substantial sound, while the final -y softens the finish. It may appeal when a family likes the presence of a surname as a first name, with a more relaxed ending than its opening suggests.

Etymology: An Irish and Scottish Gaelic surname adopted as a given name. The ancestral name is interpreted as “ugly-headed”, with “helmeted-head” an older alternative.