Kenneth is a given name of Gaelic origin. The name is an Anglicised form of two entirely different Gaelic personal names: Cainnech and Cináed. The modern Gaelic form of Cainnech is Coinneach; the name was derived from a byname meaning "handsome", "comely".[1] A short form of Kenneth is Ken.

Kenneth
Pronunciation/ˈkɛnɪθ/
GenderMale
Language(s)English
Origin
MeaningHandsome, Fire-born
Other names
Related namesCainnech/Coinneach, Cináed

Etymology

The second part of the name Cinaed is derived either from the Celtic *aidhu, meaning "fire",[2] or else Brittonic jʉ:ð meaning "lord".[3]

People

(see also Ken (name) and Kenny)

Fictional characters

  • Kenneth Widmerpool, character in Anthony Powell's novel sequence A Dance to the Music of Time

Places

In the United States:

In Scotland:

  • Inch Kenneth, an island off the west coast of the Isle of Mull

Other

References

  1. ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A dictionary of first names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, pp. 157–158, 343, 401, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1
  2. ^ Busse, Peter E. (2006), "Cinaed mac Ailpín", in Koch, John T. (ed.), Celtic culture: a historical encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, p. 438, ISBN 1-85109-445-8
  3. ^ Rhys, Guto. "Approaching the Pictish language: historiography, early evidence and the question of Pritenic" (PDF). University of Glasgow.