Kenny in Irish: Canice
Kenny is a pet form of Kenneth, and Woulfe gives it, with Canice, as an English form of the Irish Coinneach (older Cainneach), “fair one.” Here’s how to say Canice, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Same name as
- Canice
- Meaning
- Fair one
- Gender
- Boy
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 676 for boys (2025)
How do you say Canice?
Kenny and Canice are English forms of the same Irish name. Canice is pronounced CAN-iss. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. It can also be said KO-in-ock.
What does Canice mean?
Canice means “fair one.” Kenny is another English form of the same Irish name.
Read more about Canice: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is Kenny in Ireland?
In 2025, 4 baby boys in Ireland were named Kenny, which made it No. 676 that year. It was most popular in 1980, when 3 baby boys were named Kenny, No. 321 that year. The most babies got the name in 2019: 5. It first appears in the records in 1980, with 3 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | No. 676 |
| 2024 | 3 | No. 785 |
| 2022 | 4 | No. 657 |
| 2021 | 4 | No. 631 |
| 2019 | 5 | No. 564 |
| 2018 | 3 | No. 749 |
| 2016 | 5 | No. 541 |
| 2014 | 3 | No. 715 |
| 2012 | 3 | No. 718 |
| 2011 | 4 | No. 623 |
| 2008 | 3 | No. 698 |
| 2003 | 3 | No. 500 |
| 2001 | 3 | No. 409 |
| 1997 | 3 | No. 382 |
| 1991 | 3 | No. 324 |
| 1990 | 3 | No. 323 |
| 1980 | 3 | No. 321 |
Canice in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Canice, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- AAilm, pine
- NNion, ash
- IIodhadh, yew
- CColl, hazel
- EEadhadh, aspen
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Kenny
Questions about Kenny
- What is Kenny in Irish?
- Kenny is a pet form of Kenneth, and Woulfe gives it, with Canice, as an English form of the Irish Coinneach (older Cainneach), “fair one.” Canice is pronounced CAN-iss.
- How do you pronounce Canice?
- Canice is pronounced CAN-iss, with two syllables and the stress on the first. It can also be said KO-in-ock.
- Is Kenny a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Kenny is a boy's name.
- How popular is Kenny in Ireland?
- In 2025, Kenny was No. 676 for boys in Ireland, with 4 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1980, at No. 321.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA50 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name, Wikipedia and en.wiktionary.org. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com