Kaian
A masculine name of Japanese origin meaning "young willow", "sea", or "forgiveness".
Name Census estimates that about 145 living Americans carry the first name Kaian. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kaian today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaian births was 2021 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaian. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Kaian with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
145
~ 1 in 2,363,823 Americans
Peak year
2021
15 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,622
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Kaian: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kaian from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 62 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
Kaian 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 Kaian during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kaians live
Origin
Meaning and history of Kaian
The name Kaian is believed to have its origins in the Japanese language. It is a relatively modern name, with no known historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures. The name is derived from the Japanese word "kai," which means "ocean" or "sea."
The earliest recorded example of the name Kaian can be traced back to the late 20th century in Japan. However, it is not a common name and has remained relatively rare throughout history. There are no famous historical figures with the first name Kaian that can be identified with certainty.
Despite its modern origins, the name Kaian has a certain poetic quality due to its association with the ocean. It evokes images of vast, open waters and the power and beauty of nature. The name may have been chosen by parents with a fondness for the sea or a desire to instill a sense of adventure and exploration in their child.
While there are no notable historical figures with the name Kaian, it is possible that some individuals have borne this name in recent times. However, due to its rarity, it is challenging to find reliable records or references to such individuals outside of personal accounts or local records.
It is worth noting that the name Kaian should not be confused with similar-sounding names from other cultures or languages, as its origins and meaning are distinct to the Japanese language and culture.
People
Kaian + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaian as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kaian: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaian?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 145 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaian 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 2,363,823 US residents.
Is Kaian a common name?
We classify Kaian as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 146 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kaian most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaian was 2021, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaian is about 10 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 Kaian in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kaian a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kaian 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 Kaian still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kaian 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 Kaian 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 Kaian?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.