Given name & surname · also Japanese
Kana
“a powerful woman”
Kana is used as a given name and a surname. One Japanese interpretation is “a powerful woman.”
Original Japanese愛
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Japanese interpretation is “a powerful woman.”
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Japanese and Hawaiian naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1956. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kana through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 890
- 18 boys · 872 girls
- Most popular year
- 2006
- 27 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #8,609 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −18%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 8,609 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 18.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,343 as a first name in 2020; 692 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kana’s family of names
In Japanese usage, Kana is a Roman-alphabet rendering of 佳奈. In Japanese usage, Kana is a Roman-alphabet rendering of 加奈. In Japanese usage, Kana is a Roman-alphabet rendering of 加菜.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Kana has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Hawaiian roots to each of them.
14 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 15
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Kana
- Kana KitaharaJapanese association football playerborn 1988
- Kana OsafuneJapanese association football playerborn 1989
- Kana HanazawaJapanese voice actress (born 1989)
- Kana UedaJapanese voice actressborn 1980
- Kana AsumiJapanese voice actress and singerborn 1983
- Kana NishinoJapanese singerborn 1989
- Kana IchinoseJapanese voice actressborn 1996
- Kana KobayashiJapanese female talentborn 1991
- Kana UemuraJapanese singer-songwriterborn 1983
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kana, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kawena
“the” · “glow”
7% boys · 93% girls
Kohana
“resembling a fragile flower” · “one who is swift”
>99% girls
Kamea
“the one and only; precious one”
3% boys · 97% girls
Keala
“the” · “path”
5% boys · 95% girls
Kanani
“the beautiful girl”
>99% girls
Malana
“a lighthearted woman”
>99% girls
Mehana
“a warm and friendly woman”
>99% girls
Kamalani
“child” · “sky”
>99% girls