Cainan
Boy name · #3547 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Cainan? In official American birth records, Cainan has been tracked continuously since 1981, giving it 44 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 32 baby boys were named Cainan, placing it at #3547 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3022, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 56,250 boys born in 2025 was named Cainan.
Babies named Cainan per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 44-year story
Cainan first appears in the Social Security records in 1981, when 9 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 47 boys were named Cainan — good for #2626 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cainan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cainan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cainan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Cainan will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cainan is most common
State-level data for Cainan is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Cainan
Statistically, parents drawn to Cainan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kainan, Sinan, Kiernan, Chapman, and Calan.
KainanSinanKiernanChapmanCalanCorbanTiernanCavan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cainan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | #3513 |
| 2024 | 36 | #3272 |
| 2023 | 28 | #3883 |
| 2022 | 37 | #3216 |
| 2021 | 24 | #4247 |
| 2020 | 27 | #3811 |
| 2019 | 44 | #2808 |
| 2018 | 34 | #3301 |
| 2017 | 41 | #2891 |
| 2016 | 47 | #2626 |
| 2015 | 38 | #3022 |
| 2014 | 23 | #4263 |
| 2013 | 21 | #4463 |
| 2012 | 32 | #3371 |
| 2011 | 24 | #4110 |
| 2010 | 34 | #3239 |
| 2009 | 38 | #3045 |
| 2008 | 28 | #3744 |
| 2007 | 40 | #2920 |
| 2006 | 40 | #2832 |
| 2005 | 22 | #4062 |
| 2004 | 39 | #2697 |
| 2003 | 34 | #2847 |
| 2002 | 23 | #3670 |
| 2001 | 21 | #3842 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Cainan?
In official American birth records, the name Cainan first appeared in 1981 (over 44 years ago), when 9 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 44 years.
Is Cainan a popular boy name?
Cainan ranked #3547 among boys in 2025 with 32 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3022.
When was the name Cainan most popular?
Cainan peaked in 2016, when 47 American boys received the name (ranked #2626 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cainan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 56,250 newborn American boys was named Cainan. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.