Total births
1,809
Boys' name · since 1991
Kanan
1,809 babies named Kanan in U.S. Social Security records since 1991, with the highest year being 2022. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #1138
- among boys today
- 1,809
- born since 1991
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
1,809 babies have been named Kanan since 1991, making it today's #1138 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Kanan recorded 1,809 times among boys since 1991, holding rank #1138 nationally today, ahead of 92% of boys, peaking in the 2020s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1991 to 2025.
- #1138 among boys today
- 1,809 born since 1991
- 2020s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kanan is currently the #1138 boys' name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 1,809 born since 1991, peaking in the 2020s.
- #1138
- among boys today
- 1,809
- born since 1991
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Kanan vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1138
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
59% of everyone ever named Kanan was born in this single decade.
2022
Single peak year
225 babies were named Kanan in 2022 - its busiest year on record.
How Kanan compares
1,809 Top 22% higher than 78% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Kanan's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kanan | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,809 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 225 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kanan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kanan splits its recorded history at 2009: 90% of all births land in the more recent half, 10% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1999 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2022 peak of 225 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kanan at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2022
Current rank
#1,138
Active since
1991
Kanan popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1991–2025
- Peak year (2022)
- 225
- Annual births at peak, across 35 years of records
Kanan popularity over time - girls
11 total births recorded since 1982 (Kanan as girls' name)
Kanan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Kanan's strongest decade.
1,067 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 59% of all-time use.
Kanan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1990s 77
1990s
77 births
- 2000s 112
2000s
112 births
- 2010s
2010s
553 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,067 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 1,067 births (59% of all-time use).
How Kanan compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Kanan's total volume
Kanan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kanan by state
Where Kanan concentrates geographically, total births since 1991
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 195 | 10.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 133 | 7.4% |
| #3 | Florida | | 81 | 4.5% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 80 | 4.4% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 70 | 3.9% |
| #6 | Louisiana | | 63 | 3.5% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 61 | 3.4% |
| #8 | New York | | 57 | 3.2% |
California share of Kanan's total US births 10.8%
Even split
195 of 1,809 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 28 reporting states.
Kanan appears in 28 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kanan? ▼
1,809 babies have been named Kanan since 1991. It currently ranks #1138 among boys. The peak year was 2022 with 225 births.
When was Kanan most popular? ▼
Kanan was most popular in the 2020s decade with 1,067 total births. The single peak year was 2022.
Where is Kanan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kanan are California (195 births), Texas (133 births), Florida (81 births).
How long has the name Kanan been used? ▼
Records for Kanan go back to 1991, giving 35 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kanan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kane, Kannon, Kanon, Kanye, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kanan's data
- California records the most Kanans (195 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kanan
Nearby Names Like Kanan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kanan
Kane Boy
#432 19,521 births
Kannon Boy
#986 6,040 births
Kanon Boy
#2980 1,524 births
Kanye Boy
#6381 1,404 births
Kanyon Boy
#3842 1,362 births
Compare Kanan side by side: Kanan vs Kane Kanan vs Kannon Kanan vs Kanon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kanan
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1991–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kanan: #1138 Boys' Name - 1,809 Births, Peak 2022." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kanan. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Kanan draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.