Given name & surname
Kanan
“from the garden”
Kanan is used as a given name and a surname. One Indian interpretation is “from the garden.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Indian interpretation is “from the garden.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Indian.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1982. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kanan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,820
- 1,809 boys · 11 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 225 babies
- 2025
- 194
- #1,109 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +73%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 194 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,109 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 72.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (21). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,000 as a first name in 2020; 880 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.
Kanan’s family of names
Kanan has a related form in Kanon. Kanan has a related form in Kanen. Kanan has a related form in Kanin.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Kanan
- Kanan MinamiJapanese manga artistborn 1979
- Kanan MakiyaIraqi-American academic and orientalist (born 1949)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kanan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kabir
“a spiritual leade”
>99% boys
Kavi
“a great poetess” · “a poetic man”
92% boys · 8% girls
Jahan
“man of the world”
96% boys · 4% girls
Kartar
“a master”
>99% boys
Irfan
“one who is knowledgeable” · “one who is thankful”
>99% boys
Mohan
“an attractive woman”
>99% boys
Kalyan
“a beautiful and auspicious woman” · “one who is happy and prosperous”
>99% boys
Ajit
“one who is invincible”
>99% boys