Cayn
A masculine name derived from the biblical Cain, meaning "acquisition".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Cayn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cayn today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cayn births was 2012 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cayn. 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 Cayn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
2012
6 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2014 SSA rank
#10,950
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Cayn: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Cayn 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 Cayn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 12 | 0 | 12 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Cayn
The given name Cayn has its origins in the ancient Semitic languages, particularly in the Hebrew and Arabic tongues. It is believed to have emerged around the 3rd millennium BCE in the Middle Eastern region, which was the cradle of several ancient civilizations.
One of the earliest known references to the name Cayn can be found in the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible. Here, Cayn (also spelled as Cain) is depicted as the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, and the brother of Abel. According to the biblical narrative, Cayn was the first human to commit murder, slaying his brother Abel out of jealousy.
The name Cayn is derived from the Hebrew root word "qyn," which means "to acquire" or "to possess." Some scholars interpret it as a reference to Cayn's status as the first-born son, while others associate it with the idea of possessing or acquiring land, as Cayn was described as a farmer or tiller of the soil.
In the Islamic tradition, the name Cayn (or Qabil, as it is rendered in Arabic) also holds significance. The Quran, the holy book of Islam, contains references to Cayn and his story, although with some variations from the biblical account. In some Islamic texts, Cayn is portrayed as repenting for his crime and seeking forgiveness.
Throughout history, the name Cayn has been borne by several notable individuals, although its usage has been relatively limited compared to other names. One of the earliest recorded examples is Cayn, a Sumerian king who ruled in the city-state of Kish around 2500 BCE.
In the realm of literature, Cayn is the name of a character in the epic poem "Paradise Lost" by John Milton (1608-1674). This work, published in 1667, offers a retelling of the biblical story of the Fall of Man and features Cayn as a central figure.
Another notable bearer of the name was Cayn Marston (1898-1960), an American military officer who served during World War II and received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in the Battle of the Bulge.
In the world of sports, Cayn Colter (born 1990) is a former American football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) for teams like the Seattle Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings.
Additionally, Cayn Arango (born 1995) is a Colombian professional footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for the Colombian club Atlético Nacional.
While the name Cayn has been present throughout history, its usage has been relatively limited in comparison to other names. However, its biblical and ancient roots, as well as its association with notable figures, have ensured its enduring place in the realm of given names.
People
Cayn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cayn 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
Cayn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cayn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cayn 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Cayn a common name?
We classify Cayn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cayn most popular?
The single biggest year for Cayn was 2012, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cayn is about 13 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 Cayn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cayn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cayn 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 Cayn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cayn 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 Cayn 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 Cayn?
See how many people have the name Cayn on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.