Kanai
The Story of Kanai
As a girl name
Kanai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2006, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 17 Kanais were born — ranking #6,689 that year. As of 2026, Kanai ranks #9,374 for girls with 8 births, gradually falling (-9%). In total, more than 173 Kanais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Kanai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1999, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 31 Kanais were born — ranking #3,656 that year. As of 2026, Kanai ranks #3,656 for boys with 31 births, rising sharply (+60% over the past five years). In total, more than 430 Kanais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kanai
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kanai 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 Kanai
What does the name Kanai mean?
How popular is Kanai in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Kanai most popular?
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About the name Kanai
Kanai is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1999 and has accumulated 430 births in the dataset. Kanai's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #3,656. Use the chart and map above to compare Kanai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- 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.