Canaan
Canaan was an ancient Semitic-speaking civilization and region of the Southern Levant during the late 2nd millennium BC. Canaan had significant geopolitical importance in the Late Bronze Age Amarna Period as the area where the spheres of interest of the Egyptian, Hittite, Mitanni, and Assyrian Empires converged or overlapped.
Meaning & Origin of Canaan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Canaan was an ancient Semitic-speaking civilization and region of the Southern Levant during the late 2nd millennium BC. Canaan had significant geopolitical importance in the Late Bronze Age Amarna Period as the area where the spheres of interest of the Egyptian, Hittite, Mitanni, and Assyrian Empires converged or overlapped.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
Origin & history
The Story of Canaan
As a girl name
Canaan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1980, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2010, when 19 Canaans were born — ranking #6,640 that year. As of 2026, Canaan ranks #9,608 for girls with 10 births, with steady use. In total, more than 318 Canaans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Canaan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1973, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2016, when 385 Canaans were born — ranking #668 that year. As of 2026, Canaan ranks #1,135 for boys with 189 births, falling sharply (-24%). In total, more than 6K Canaans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Canaan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Canaan is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Canaan
What does the name Canaan mean?
How popular is Canaan in 2026?
When was Canaan most popular?
In which U.S. states is Canaan most popular?
Is Canaan a unisex name?
What names go well with Canaan?
About the name Canaan
Canaan is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1973 and has accumulated 6K births in the dataset. Canaan's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #668. Use the chart and map above to compare Canaan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2016 →
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- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.