Canen
An English masculine name of unclear origin, perhaps connected to canon.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Canen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Canen today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Canen births was 2001 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Canen. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Canen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2001
5 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2018 SSA rank
#12,474
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Canen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Canen from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Canen by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Canen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Canen
The name Canen has its origins in the ancient Celtic languages, with roots that can be traced back to the Iron Age cultures of Britain and Ireland. It is believed to derive from the Proto-Celtic word *kan, which means "bright" or "shining." This suggests that Canen may have been used as a name to denote someone with a radiant or luminous presence or personality.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Canen appears in the Welsh medieval manuscript known as the Black Book of Carmarthen, dated around the 13th century. Here, it is mentioned in a poem praising a warrior with this name for his bravery and prowess in battle. This suggests that by this time, Canen had become a well-established name among the Celtic peoples of Wales.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Canen ap Rhys was a Welsh scholar and translator who played a significant role in preserving and promoting the Welsh language and literature during the Renaissance period. He was born in 1534 and is remembered for his translations of classical works into Welsh, helping to establish a rich literary tradition in his native tongue.
During the 17th century, a Canen Jones was a prominent figure in the English Civil War, serving as a captain in the Parliamentary forces under Oliver Cromwell. He fought in several key battles, including the Battle of Naseby in 1645, and his bravery and leadership on the battlefield earned him recognition and honors.
In the 19th century, Canen Griffith was a Welsh poet and writer who contributed significantly to the revival of Welsh literature and culture. Born in 1825, he was known for his lyrical poetry and his efforts to preserve the country's rich linguistic heritage. His works were widely celebrated and helped to inspire a renewed interest in Welsh language and traditions.
Another notable figure with the name Canen was Canen Williams, a Welsh rugby union player who represented Wales in the late 19th century. Born in 1874, he played as a forward and was part of the Welsh team that won the Triple Crown in 1900, a prestigious achievement in the early days of international rugby.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Canen, reflecting its deep roots in Celtic culture and its enduring presence across various fields, from literature and language to warfare and sports.
People
Canen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Canen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Canen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Canen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Canen going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Canen a common name?
We classify Canen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Canen most popular?
The single biggest year for Canen was 2001, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Canen is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Canen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Canen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Canen in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Canen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Canen in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Canen can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Canen?
See how many people share the name Canen on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.