Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Kaname isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1920. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kaname through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 21
- 16 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 1920
- 6 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 6 in 1920.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kaname’s family of names
In Japanese usage, Kaname is a Roman-alphabet rendering of 最. In Japanese usage, Kaname is a Roman-alphabet rendering of 要.
The ring: spellings.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Kaname
- Kaname HaradaJapanese flying ace of World War II1916–2016
- Kaname ŌtoriJapanese AV idolborn 1995
- Kaname AkamatsuJapanese economist (1896–1974)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kaname, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Caldwell
“of the cold well” · “from the cold spring”
>99% boys
Carlyle
“from the fort at Luguvalium”
82% boys · 18% girls
Camillo
“a ceremonial attendant; a noble virgin” · “one who is born free; one who is noble”
>99% boys
Casimir
“one who demands peace”
>99% boys
Johnie
85% boys · 15% girls
Horace
“the keeper of time”
>99% boys
Albin
“from the white hill white-” · “from the white hill; whiteskinned”
>99% boys
Alphonse
“prepared for battle; eager and ready”
>99% boys