
The short answer
Kendall is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From an English surname that comes from the name of the city of Kendale in northwestern England meaning ‘valley on the river Kent’. Originally mostly masculine, the name received a boost in popularity for girls in 1993 when the devious character Kendall Hart began appearing on the American soap opera All My Children." It ranked #328 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from an English surname that comes from the name of the city of Kendale in northwestern England meaning ‘valley on the river Kent’. Originally mostly masculine, the name received a boost in popularity for girls in 1993 when the devious character Kendall Hart began appearing on the American soap opera All My Children. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Kendall ranked #328 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #328 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Kendall in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kendall mean?
Kendall means "valley on the river Kent", according to Behind the Name.
Is Kendall a popular name?
Kendall ranked #328 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Kendall a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Kendall appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine & feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Kendall — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.