Did you know that KEN originally had felt hair?!
Gunners & Ali - Ali's Random Facts
Wednesday, 11 March 2026 - 4 minutes
Today is Ken's birthday... so here's some facts you may not know about our blonde hero.
Ken Carson first appeared on March 11, 1961, created by Ruth Handler as the boyfriend to Barbie. He was named after Handler’s real-life son Kenneth, which makes Ken one of the few toys technically named after a real person.
Officially, Ken’s full name is Kenneth Sean Carson, he’s from Willows, Wisconsin, and he stands 12 inches tall - about half an inch taller than Barbie.
The original Ken doll cost $3.50, wore red swim trunks, sandals and a tiny towel… and had felt hair, which was a bit of a design flaw because if it got wet… the hair literally fell off. So by 1962 Mattel swapped it for the moulded plastic hair we all know.
Over the years Ken has had more than 40 careers - everything from doctor to pilot to barista and even tennis pro.
And yes, the relationship drama is real: Mattel announced a Barbie and Ken breakup in 2004, only for them to reunite in 2011.
So after 65 years, Ken has proven he’s more than just Barbie’s plus-one… he’s basically the most patient boyfriend in toy history.
He's just Ken! Rea
Source: YouTube - HBOMax | BarbieMovie | Real Time 1960s Picture Credit: Mattel & Barbie Movie | WarnerBrosPictures
