Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Kendall

The name Kendall is the transferred use of an English surname originating as a location name in England and is associated with one of two places. The town of Kendal in Cumbria was so named because it lied in the valley of the river Kent. The name is derived from the river’s ancient name “Cunetio” paired with the Olde English “dæl” which meant “dale, valley”. Or from the place called Kendale in Driffield (northern England) which derives its name from the Old Norse “kelda” meaning “spring” and “dalr” meaning “valley” (valley of the spring). In any case, the surname Kendal dates all the way back to the Domesday Book of 1086. Yet another possible etymology for the name could be derived from the Welsh personal name “Cynddelw” which means “archetype” as in the ideal image of something (the perfect example). As a given name, Kendall is considered gender-neutral and used mainly in the United States.

All About the Baby Name – Kendall

Personality

OF THE UNISEX NAME KENDALL

The number Five personality loves the excitement of life and can easily adapt to all situations. As natural adventurers, these personalities thrive on the new and unexpected and prefer to be in constant motion. It makes them feel alive. They'll stir up some action if there's not enough around, and as inherent risk-takers they enjoy pushing the envelope. Naturally rebellious, the Five personality has no fear and never resists change.  Traveling and new experiences feed their souls. Fives are very social and attract friends with ease. People love to be around the Five fun-loving and exciting energy.  This is also a lucky number in numerology (like the Threes), so fortune seems to shine on them, helped along by their own optimism and good-nature. Fives have a quick wit, a cerebral mind, and are generally very persuasive. 

Popularity

OF THE UNISEX NAME KENDALL

Kendall is a unisex name in America, although it’s currently (and surprisingly) more popular for girls than for boys. As a male name, Kendall actually dates back to 1913 – for girls, the name doesn’t really show up on the charts until 1980. By the early 1990s, the female Kendall surpassed her male counterpart in usage and they’ve been going in opposite directions on the charts ever since. The more popular the name becomes for girls, the less appealing it is to parents of baby boys. The usage of androgynous names for girls has been a naming trend for a while now, as has the usage of surnames as first names. These two reasons alone explain the popularity of Kendall for girls. We can’t help hearing “Ken doll” when we say the name, which gives it a masculine resonance, more so than other gender-crossover names. Kendall’s usage has also probably been enhanced by the popularity of Kourtney, Kim and Khloé Kardashian’s little sisters, Kylie and Kendall Jenner.

Quick Facts

ON KENDALL

GENDER:

Unisex

ORIGIN:

Celtic

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

N/A

PRONUNCIATION:

KEHN-dul

SIMPLE MEANING:

Valley of the river Kent, Valley of the spring, Archetype

Characteristics

OF KENDALL

Freedom-loving

Adventurous

Adaptable

Intellectual

Easygoing

Progressive

Sensual

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Kendall

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME KENDALL

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Kendall

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME KENDALL

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Kendall


Popular Songs

ON KENDALL

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Kendall


Famous People

NAMED KENDALL

Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr (in English "Kendall", medieval Welsh poet)
Kendall Jenner (reality TV personality)
Kendall Schmidt (actor/singer)
Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr (in English "Kendall", medieval Welsh poet)
Kendall Jenner (reality TV personality)
Kendall Schmidt (actor/singer)
Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr (in English "Kendall", medieval Welsh poet)
Kendall Jenner (reality TV personality)
Kendall Schmidt (actor/singer)

Children of Famous People

NAMED KENDALL

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Kendall

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME KENDALL

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Kendall