The Baby Name Wizard

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Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Kestrel!

Comments and insights on the name Kestrel: | Edit

This is a beautiful and unique baby girl name, with a cute nickname for when she's little: Kesi, and a hip nickname for the older years: Kes.

Originally from the name of the bird of prey ... the North American Kestrel (formerly called the "North American Chicken Hawk"), ultimately derived from Old French 'crecelle' (meaning "rattle"), which refers to the sound of its cry.

Personal experiences with the name Kestrel: | Edit

My parents named me Kestrel over 29yrs ago... I do go by Kes most of the time, and when I was little some referred to me as Kessy.... however, at the time different names were not cool or "hip" and a lot of children made fun of my name. Though I wouldn't change it for the world. My father loved the bird, and always told me my name means "to soar", I'm pretty sure he made that one up though. I still get called Castrol oil to this day... but hey, people will always have something to say about unique names... besides... in a few years, this name probably won't be so unique anymore.

I know a 10 year old Kestrel and she is a firecracker! Everyone loves her name, and she has never had an issue with it. She even loves that in a nature book she found the beautiful, colorful bird that shares her name.

My daughter's name is Kestrel. She is 6 years old, and everyone (save one grandmother who calls her "Kessy"), calls her "Kes" -- regardless of whether it would be more 'hip' when she's older. I saw a Kestrel at King Richard's Faire in MA years ago, and decided that if I ever had a daughter, I would give her that name. What a little (and fierce!) bird!! A Kestrel is slightly bigger than a Blue Jay, but is a species of falcon. Indiginous to Massachusetts and much of New England, it is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL little bird, and the perfect name for my feisty little one!!

Nicknames for Kestrel: | Edit

Kes
Kessie
Kez
Kezzie

Meanings and history of the name Kestrel: | Edit

Pronounced: KES-truhl
From the name a type of small falcons, ultimately derived from Old French crecelle "rattle", which refers to its cry.

Famous real-life people named Kestrel: | Edit

Can't come up with names of famous people (my little one is only 6 -- HA HA!), but there is a Kestrel Vintners which makes a wonderful white wine called 'Platinum Blonde'.

Kestrel in song, story & screen: | Edit

Books, Comics and Video Games involving the name Kestrel:

1) "The Kestrel," novel in Lloyd Alexander's Westmark trilogy.

2) Kestrel, fictional character from the animated children's series "The Animals of Farthing Wood" based upon the books by author Colin Dann.

3) Kestrel is a character in Mercedes Lackey's "Bardic Voices" series.

4) "A Kestrel for a Knave", novel by Barry Hines (movie "Kes" based on it).

5) Kestrel, the main character of the web comic "Queen of Wands".

6) Kestrel, a female character appearing in the last book of The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb.

7) Kestrel (DC Comics), a DC Comics character, supervillain antagonist of Hawk and Dove.

8) Kestrel (Marvel Comics), a Marvel Comics character, a test subject of the Weapon X Project.

9) Kestrel, a playable character in the computer game 'Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction'.

10) Kestrel, spaceship in the massively-multiplayer online game Eve Online.

11) Kestrel Redfern, a female vampire in the Night World series books by L.J. Smith.