Kanan
Boy name · #1110 in 2025 · Uniqueness 37/100
Kanan is currently the #1110 boy name in the United States — 194 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2966, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,278 boys born in 2025 was named Kanan.
The 34-year story
Kanan first appears in the Social Security records in 1991, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 225 babies and a rank of #993. 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.
Babies named Kanan per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kanan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kanan in class?
Kanan scores 37 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kanan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kanan is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kanans were TX (21), CA (17), NC (12), FL (11), MS (11). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kanan
Statistically, parents drawn to Kanan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kiaan, Kenan, Kinan, Kilian, and Ivaan.
KiaanKenanKinanKilianIvaanAvyanZayanAzlan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kanan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 194 | #1108 |
| 2024 | 186 | #1135 |
| 2023 | 198 | #1084 |
| 2022 | 225 | #993 |
| 2021 | 162 | #1198 |
| 2020 | 102 | #1592 |
| 2019 | 128 | #1386 |
| 2018 | 160 | #1188 |
| 2017 | 102 | #1582 |
| 2016 | 67 | #2086 |
| 2015 | 39 | #2966 |
| 2014 | 10 | #7562 |
| 2013 | 8 | #8789 |
| 2012 | 17 | #5256 |
| 2011 | 10 | #7502 |
| 2010 | 12 | #6698 |
| 2009 | 17 | #5334 |
| 2008 | 14 | #6070 |
| 2007 | 11 | #7094 |
| 2006 | 20 | #4520 |
| 2005 | 9 | #7640 |
| 2004 | 10 | #6976 |
| 2003 | 12 | #5877 |
| 2002 | 11 | #6088 |
| 2000 | 8 | #7416 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kanan a popular boy name?
Kanan ranked #1110 among boys in 2025 with 194 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2966.
When was the name Kanan most popular?
Kanan peaked in 2022, when 225 American boys received the name (ranked #993 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Kanan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,278 newborn American boys was named Kanan. It scores 37/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.