Kenan
Boy name · #1148 in 2025 · Uniqueness 54/100
Kenan ranks #1148 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 184 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1668, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,783 boys born in 2025 was named Kenan.
The 78-year story
Kenan first appears in the Social Security records in 1947, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 187 babies and a rank of #1133. 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 Kenan per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kenan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kenan in class?
Kenan scores 54 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 Kenan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kenan is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kenans were CA (20), NY (19), NC (14), TX (14), MI (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 Kenan
Statistically, parents drawn to Kenan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Adnan, Kiran, Kanan, Hasan, and Conan.
AdnanKiranKananHasanConanTylanArmanAyman
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kenan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 184 | #1145 |
| 2024 | 187 | #1133 |
| 2023 | 143 | #1328 |
| 2022 | 168 | #1191 |
| 2021 | 132 | #1383 |
| 2020 | 135 | #1325 |
| 2019 | 168 | #1157 |
| 2018 | 135 | #1335 |
| 2017 | 98 | #1623 |
| 2016 | 106 | #1556 |
| 2015 | 94 | #1668 |
| 2014 | 110 | #1473 |
| 2013 | 73 | #1915 |
| 2012 | 103 | #1545 |
| 2011 | 129 | #1319 |
| 2010 | 88 | #1725 |
| 2009 | 99 | #1604 |
| 2008 | 121 | #1399 |
| 2007 | 104 | #1516 |
| 2006 | 104 | #1467 |
| 2005 | 107 | #1390 |
| 2004 | 94 | #1460 |
| 2003 | 98 | #1372 |
| 2002 | 114 | #1211 |
| 2001 | 98 | #1327 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kenan a popular boy name?
Kenan ranked #1148 among boys in 2025 with 184 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1668.
When was the name Kenan most popular?
Kenan peaked in 2024, when 187 American boys received the name (ranked #1133 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Kenan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,783 newborn American boys was named Kenan. It scores 54/100 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.