Kanaan
Boy name · #2663 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Kanaan? In official American birth records, Kanaan has been tracked continuously since 1990, giving it 35 years of documented American history.
Kanaan ranks #2663 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 49 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2429, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 36,735 boys born in 2025 was named Kanaan.
Babies named Kanaan per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 35-year story
Kanaan first appears in the Social Security records in 1990, when 10 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 87 boys were named Kanaan — good for #1762 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 Kanaan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kanaan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kanaan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kanaan will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kanaan is most common
State-level data for Kanaan 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 Kanaan
Statistically, parents drawn to Kanaan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kiyaan, Arhaan, Nivaan, Rihaan, and Riyaan.
KiyaanArhaanNivaanRihaanRiyaanYuvaanEvaanRohaan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kanaan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 49 | #2641 |
| 2024 | 66 | #2190 |
| 2023 | 60 | #2315 |
| 2022 | 80 | #1938 |
| 2021 | 81 | #1884 |
| 2020 | 84 | #1788 |
| 2019 | 74 | #1974 |
| 2018 | 87 | #1762 |
| 2017 | 80 | #1844 |
| 2016 | 74 | #1959 |
| 2015 | 52 | #2429 |
| 2014 | 26 | #3891 |
| 2013 | 25 | #3964 |
| 2012 | 26 | #3894 |
| 2011 | 22 | #4356 |
| 2010 | 25 | #3994 |
| 2009 | 36 | #3162 |
| 2008 | 23 | #4267 |
| 2007 | 24 | #4127 |
| 2006 | 23 | #4105 |
| 2005 | 19 | #4464 |
| 2004 | 26 | #3534 |
| 2003 | 14 | #5271 |
| 2002 | 15 | #4919 |
| 2001 | 13 | #5390 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kanaan?
In official American birth records, the name Kanaan first appeared in 1990 (over 35 years ago), when 10 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 35 years.
Is Kanaan a popular boy name?
Kanaan ranked #2663 among boys in 2025 with 49 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2429.
When was the name Kanaan most popular?
Kanaan peaked in 2018, when 87 American boys received the name (ranked #1762 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kanaan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 36,735 newborn American boys was named Kanaan. 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.