Kendra means greatest champion or wise ruler — from the Old English or Welsh. Kendra is the Slayer before Buffy — the first Slayer of colour in the Buffyverse. The name carries the highest-champion meaning through two syllables of Celtic-English royal heritage and vampire-slaying lineage.
Old English/Welsh (greatest champion / wise ruler)→English Kendra
1
English / Welsh roots
Kendra may come from Old English or Welsh meaning greatest champion or wise ruler. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Kendra Young was the Slayer before Buffy — the first Slayer of colour.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Modern name; Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997).
3
Today
Kendra remains a beloved choice, ranking #553 in the US. 98,460 babies have been named Kendra since 1936.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Kendra?
1987peak year
Today, Kendra is rarely chosen — ranked around #553, with only about 602 babies given the name per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 1987, 3,841 babies were given the name (ranked #77 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 1980s. Kendra has been declining in recent years. In all, around 98,460 babies have been registered as Kendra since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Kendra's Life Path 1 is the leader's number — champion leadership. People named Kendra tend to be strong, regal, and gifted at slaying whatever needs slaying.
♡
Slays what needs slaying
✦
Greatest champion
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Wise ruler
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First-of-colour Slayer
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Regal strength
K2
E5
N5
D4
R9
A1
Sum: 26 → Life path 8
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Personality of Kendra
💼
Built for success
They don't dream of achievement — they plan for it.
👑
Commanding presence
They walk in and people notice.
🔑
Strategic mind
Always three moves ahead.
💎
Unbreakable
Setbacks sharpen them. Resilience is in their DNA.
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