Cannin
A Celtic name derived from the Gaelic word for "wolf".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Cannin. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cannin today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cannin births was 2008 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cannin. 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 Cannin. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2008
5 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2013 SSA rank
#12,449
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Cannin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cannin 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
Cannin 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 Cannin 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 Cannin
The name Cannin has its origins in the ancient Celtic language, which was once spoken across much of western and central Europe. It is believed to have emerged during the Iron Age, around the 5th century BCE. The name is derived from the Proto-Celtic root "kann-," which means "bright" or "shining."
In early Celtic cultures, names were often chosen based on physical attributes or characteristics that were deemed desirable. Cannin likely referred to someone with a bright or radiant appearance, perhaps with fair hair or skin. The name was particularly popular among the Celtic tribes that inhabited present-day Ireland and Scotland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cannin can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle documenting events in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th century. The Annals mention a Cannin mac Éogain, who was a king of the Cenél Conaill dynasty in the 7th century CE.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Cannin appeared in various forms across Celtic regions. In the 11th century, a Scottish nobleman named Cannin of Argyll was noted for his role in the Battle of Largs, where he fought alongside King Alexander III against the invading Norwegians.
During the Renaissance period, a renowned Irish poet and scholar named Cannin Ó Maonaigh (c. 1500-1570) gained recognition for his works in the Irish language. His poetry often celebrated the beauty of the natural world and the rich cultural heritage of Ireland.
In the 17th century, a Welsh clergyman named Cannin Jones (1625-1698) made significant contributions to the translation of the Bible into the Welsh language. His efforts helped preserve and promote the use of the Welsh language during a time of English cultural dominance.
Another notable figure with the name Cannin was a Scottish artist named Cannin MacLeod (1788-1857). He was known for his landscape paintings depicting the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. His works capture the essence of the region's natural scenery and are considered important examples of Scottish Romantic art.
While the name Cannin has declined in popularity in recent times, it remains a part of the rich cultural heritage of the Celtic peoples. Its origins and meaning serve as a reminder of the importance placed on physical attributes and the celebration of nature in ancient Celtic societies.
People
Cannin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cannin 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
Cannin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cannin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cannin 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 Cannin a common name?
We classify Cannin 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 Cannin most popular?
The single biggest year for Cannin was 2008, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cannin is about 15 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 Cannin in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cannin a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cannin 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 Cannin still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cannin 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 Cannin 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 people are called Cannin?
You can see how many Americans are named Cannin on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.