Kes
- Gender
- Mostly boys
- Say it
- KESS
- Origin
- Greek
Kes is a name of Greek origin. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Kes mean?
Greek: usually a short form of Kester, a medieval form of Christopher
Often a short form of Kester, a medieval English form of Christopher; also the kestrel in Barry Hines's novel A Kestrel for a Knave.
Is Kes a girl's or a boy's name?
In recent years, Kes has been given to girls and boys, mostly boys.
How popular is Kes in the UK?
No boys in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1997, with 9 boys.
Kes in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 7 | #2,554 |
| 2006 | 5 | #3,013 |
| 2005 | 0 | – |
| 2004 | 7 | #2,157 |
| 2003 | 3 | #3,593 |
| 2002 | 4 | #2,751 |
| 2001 | 8 | #1,690 |
| 2000 | 4 | #2,612 |
| 1999 | 0 | – |
| 1998 | 0 | – |
| 1997 | 9 | #1,412 |
Names related to Kes
More Greek names
Luca, Theodore, Sophia, George, Theo, Lucas, Sofia, Alexander, Sebastian, Penelope, Phoebe, Margot, Luke, Chloe, Sophie, Zoe
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland) and Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Kes: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/kes, updated 20 October 2026.