Kanan
How to say it: KAY-nun · /ˈkeɪnən/
From Sanskrit 'kanan' meaning 'forest' - also linked to biblical Canaan, meaning 'lowland'.
Kanan was the 568th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 194 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are steady over ten years, and it is projected to slip to #608 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #568 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 194 |
| Share of births | 1 in 6,849 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | −4% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #608 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,664 among boys’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Fresh to the charts, Kanan belongs almost entirely to the last forty years. Its best showing is the 2020s, though the next few years may ease it back a little.
What goes with it
Strong and clear in two syllables, it blends soft and crisp tones with a biblical place name theme. Kabir feels close in spirit.
Nicknames
- Kay
- Kan
Honouring a Kanan in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Kanan is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Arabic, English, Hebrew, Hindi.
In France: #1,664 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Kanan
- Kanan Makiya (born 1949)Iraqi-American academic and orientalist
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Shares the name with Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus, a main character of Star Wars Rebels
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