Boy · #12,301 in 2026

Canek

Name: Popularity of the name Canek in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Canek, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Kan Ekʼ was the name or title used by the Itza Maya kings at their island capital Nojpetén upon Lake Petén Itzá in the Petén Department of Guatemala. The full title was Aj Kan Ekʼ or Ajaw Kan Ekʼ , and in some studies Kan Ekʼ is used as the name of the Late Postclassic Petén Itza polity.

Current Rank

#12,301

Peak Rank

#5,337 (2019)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

2008

First Year

2024

Last Year

2019

Peak Year

#5337

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Canek

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology

The two elements in the Kan Ekʼ name represent surnames taken from the mother's and father's lineage respectively. In Petén during the Postclassic period a person belonged to two lineage groups. The individual's chʼibal group was determined by their father's lineage and their tzʼakab group was determined by their mother's lineage group. Individuals simultaneously inherited their surname and property from the father's lineage group and a surname, titles and religious leanings from the lineage group of their mother. Maya rulers were members of royal lineage groups and the kan element of the king

Origin & history

The Kan Ekʼ name is recorded in the hieroglyphic text on Seibal Stela 11 The Kan Ekʼ name is recorded as being used by a king of Motul de San José , just north of Lake Petén Itzá, as far back as the Late Classic period (c. AD 600-900) of Mesoamerican chronology . Kan Ekʼ is mentioned in a hieroglyphic text dated to AD 766 upon Stela 10 at Yaxchilan on the west bank of the Usumacinta River . At Seibal , on the Pasión River , Stela 10, dating to 849 AD, has an inscription naming Kan Ekʼ as ruler of Motul de San José, which is recorded as being one of the four paramount polities in the mid-9th ce

The Story of Canek

Canek first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2008, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2019, when 17 Caneks were born — ranking #5,337 that year. As of 2026, Canek ranks #12,301 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 61 Caneks have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Canek

Phonetically similar names — useful when Canek is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Cannock
Kanak
Conic
Connick
Kinnick
Konik
Camic
Canuck
Canuk
Cammack
Conac
Kinnock

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Canek

What does the name Canek mean?

How popular is Canek in 2026?

In 2026, Canek ranks #12,301 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Canek most popular?

Canek reached its peak popularity in 2019, ranking #5,337 that year with 17 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Canek most popular?

Canek has historically been most popular in Texas, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Canek.

Is Canek a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Canek is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Canek?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Canek include Akoni, Masiyah, Kavik. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Canek

Canek is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2008 and has accumulated 61 births in the dataset. Canek's peak popularity came in 2019 when it ranked #5,337. Use the chart and map above to compare Canek's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.