Kendra
Girl name · #850 in 2025 · Uniqueness 72/100
Kendra ranks #850 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 320 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #341, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,625 girls born in 2025 was named Kendra.
Babies named Kendra per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 89-year story
Kendra first appears in the Social Security records in 1936, when 8 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1987, when 3,841 girls were named Kendra — good for #77 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kendra against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kendra in class?
Kendra scores 72 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Kendra will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kendra is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kendra is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kendras were TX (57), CA (39), OH (20), NY (14), FL (12). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kendra
Statistically, parents drawn to Kendra tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cassandra, Kara, Kassandra, Leanna, and Cara.
CassandraKaraKassandraLeannaCaraJohannaAlejandraKarina
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kendra | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 320 | #849 |
| 2024 | 415 | #686 |
| 2023 | 381 | #739 |
| 2022 | 420 | #703 |
| 2021 | 460 | #648 |
| 2020 | 539 | #551 |
| 2019 | 521 | #584 |
| 2018 | 625 | #498 |
| 2017 | 741 | #429 |
| 2016 | 964 | #347 |
| 2015 | 964 | #341 |
| 2014 | 1,271 | #258 |
| 2013 | 1,724 | #189 |
| 2012 | 810 | #386 |
| 2011 | 1,071 | #293 |
| 2010 | 1,497 | #207 |
| 2009 | 1,390 | #239 |
| 2008 | 1,450 | #236 |
| 2007 | 1,702 | #200 |
| 2006 | 1,404 | #244 |
| 2005 | 1,245 | #262 |
| 2004 | 1,199 | #272 |
| 2003 | 1,235 | #259 |
| 2002 | 1,386 | #227 |
| 2001 | 1,496 | #211 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kendra a popular girl name?
Kendra ranked #850 among girls in 2025 with 320 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #341.
When was the name Kendra most popular?
Kendra peaked in 1987, when 3,841 American girls received the name (ranked #77 that year). Since 1987 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kendra?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,625 newborn American girls was named Kendra. It scores 72/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.