Kanai
Boy name · #3223 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Kanai? In official American birth records, Kanai has been tracked continuously since 1999, giving it 26 years of documented American history.
Kanai is currently the #3223 boy name in the United States — 37 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #5058, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 48,649 boys born in 2025 was named Kanai.
Babies named Kanai per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 26-year story
Kanai first appears in the Social Security records in 1999, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 37 babies and a rank of #3181. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Kanai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kanai in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kanai is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kanai will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kanai is most common
State-level data for Kanai 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 Kanai
Statistically, parents drawn to Kanai tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Adonai, Lakai, Takai, Dakai, and Yishai.
AdonaiLakaiTakaiDakaiYishaiKairiMahkaiKazi
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kanai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | #3181 |
| 2024 | 26 | #4072 |
| 2023 | 30 | #3712 |
| 2022 | 29 | #3774 |
| 2021 | 24 | #4247 |
| 2020 | 15 | #5699 |
| 2019 | 20 | #4806 |
| 2018 | 17 | #5320 |
| 2017 | 15 | #5788 |
| 2016 | 13 | #6349 |
| 2015 | 18 | #5058 |
| 2014 | 18 | #5066 |
| 2013 | 14 | #5923 |
| 2012 | 23 | #4251 |
| 2011 | 13 | #6256 |
| 2010 | 6 | #10766 |
| 2009 | 13 | #6436 |
| 2008 | 14 | #6070 |
| 2007 | 10 | #7590 |
| 2006 | 12 | #6460 |
| 2005 | 11 | #6634 |
| 2004 | 9 | #7536 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
| 2000 | 5 | #10349 |
| 1999 | 5 | #9912 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kanai?
In official American birth records, the name Kanai first appeared in 1999 (over 26 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 26 years.
Is Kanai a popular boy name?
Kanai ranked #3223 among boys in 2025 with 37 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #5058.
When was the name Kanai most popular?
Kanai peaked in 2025, when 37 American boys received the name (ranked #3181 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Kanai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 48,649 newborn American boys was named Kanai. 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.