The mountain's toponym was officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1963 which was the year that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

[5] As a result, valleys in the area are deep and U-shaped, and mountains tend to be rocky, with steep slopes and narrow summits.

Kennedy Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.

As a result, the west side of the North Cascades experiences high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall.

[5] Due to its temperate climate and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, areas west of the Cascade Crest very rarely experience temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) or above 80 °F (27 °C).