Kian
Boy name · #400 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Kian? In official American birth records, Kian has been tracked continuously since 1970, giving it 55 years of documented American history.
Kian ranks #400 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 797 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #489, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,258 boys born in 2025 was named Kian.
The 55-year story
Kian first appears in the Social Security records in 1970, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 797 babies and a rank of #400. 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 Kian per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kian against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kian in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kian is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kian is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kian is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Kian is most common in NV (1.3 per 1,000), CA (0.9 per 1,000), MA (0.8 per 1,000), WA (0.7 per 1,000), NJ (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kian is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Kian
Statistically, parents drawn to Kian tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lucian, Killian, Lian, Kieran, and Kylan.
LucianKillianLianKieranKylanKilianGianAyaan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kian | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 797 | #400 |
| 2024 | 770 | #417 |
| 2023 | 732 | #428 |
| 2022 | 675 | #456 |
| 2021 | 671 | #453 |
| 2020 | 659 | #451 |
| 2019 | 618 | #475 |
| 2018 | 675 | #446 |
| 2017 | 676 | #453 |
| 2016 | 608 | #498 |
| 2015 | 602 | #489 |
| 2014 | 568 | #495 |
| 2013 | 441 | #582 |
| 2012 | 420 | #603 |
| 2011 | 408 | #604 |
| 2010 | 436 | #580 |
| 2009 | 433 | #597 |
| 2008 | 412 | #607 |
| 2007 | 357 | #671 |
| 2006 | 309 | #707 |
| 2005 | 288 | #710 |
| 2004 | 264 | #722 |
| 2003 | 199 | #867 |
| 2002 | 193 | #859 |
| 2001 | 171 | #912 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kian?
In official American birth records, the name Kian first appeared in 1970 (over 55 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 55 years.
Is Kian a popular boy name?
Kian ranked #400 among boys in 2025 with 797 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #489.
When was the name Kian most popular?
Kian peaked in 2025, when 797 American boys received the name (ranked #400 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Kian?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,258 newborn American boys was named Kian. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.