Kani
Kani is both a surname and a given name.
Meaning & Origin of Kani
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kani is both a surname and a given name.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kani
As a girl name
Kani first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1996, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 18 Kanis were born — ranking #6,457 that year. As of 2026, Kani ranks #9,087 for girls with 9 births, gradually rising (+10%). In total, more than 267 Kanis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Kani first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1993, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2006, when 46 Kanis were born — ranking #2,577 that year. As of 2026, Kani ranks #6,168 for boys with 14 births, gradually falling (-9%). In total, more than 669 Kanis 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 Kani
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kani 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 Kani
What does the name Kani mean?
How popular is Kani in 2026?
When was Kani most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kani most popular?
Is Kani a unisex name?
What names go well with Kani?
About the name Kani
Kani is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1993 and has accumulated 669 births in the dataset. Kani's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #2,577. Use the chart and map above to compare Kani's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2006 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- 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.