Kenji
Kenji or Kenzi is a masculine Japanese given name.
- Japanese
Meaning & Origin of Kenji
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kenji or Kenzi is a masculine Japanese given name.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Japanese
The Story of Kenji
American parents first put Kenji on the record books as a baby boy name in 1913, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 336 Kenjis were born — ranking #755 that year. About 34% of every Kenji on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Kenji ranks #819 for baby boys with 308 births, rising sharply (+59% over the past five years). All told, over 6K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Kenji
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Kenji Akabane (赤羽根 健治, born 1984), Japanese voice actor
- Kenji Anan (健治, born 1962), Japanese stage and film actor
- Kenji Daimanazuru (健司, born 1977), Japanese sumo wrestler
- Kenji Doihara (賢二, 1883–1948), Japanese military general
- Kenji Eda (憲司, born 1956), Japanese politician
- Kenji Fujimori (健二, born 1980), Peruvian politician, son of ex-president Alberto Fujimori
- Kenji Fujinaka ( 藤中 憲二 ; born 1947) , Japanese handball player
- Kenji Fukuda (born 1977), Japanese footballer for Ehime F.C.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Kenji
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kenji 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 Kenji
What does the name Kenji mean?
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How popular is Kenji in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Kenji most popular?
Is Kenji a unisex name?
What names go well with Kenji?
About the name Kenji
Kenji is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1913 and has accumulated 6K births in the dataset. Kenji's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #749. Use the chart and map above to compare Kenji's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.