Kaname
A Japanese masculine name meaning "to oversee" or "to govern".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Kaname. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 76.2% of registrations being male. The average person named Kaname today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaname births was 1920 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaname. 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 Kaname. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1920
6 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,201
Tracked since 1920
Gender
Gender distribution for Kaname
Kaname is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 21 total registrations, 16 (76.2%) were male and 5 (23.8%) were female.
Kaname as a male name
- Ranked #13,201 in 2024
- 5 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1920 (6 births)
Kaname as a female name
- Ranked #17,825 in 2014
- 5 female births in 2014
- Peak: 2014 (5 births)
Popularity
Kaname: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kaname from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 11 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Kaname remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kaname 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 Kaname 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 Kaname
Kaname is a Japanese given name with origins dating back to the 8th century. The name is composed of two kanji characters: "ka" meaning "fragrant" or "incense," and "name" meaning "name" or "fame." Together, the name Kaname can be interpreted as "fragrant name" or "famous name."
During the Nara period (710-794 CE) in Japan, the name Kaname appeared in historic records, particularly in genealogies of noble families and court chronicles. It was a name often given to children from prestigious samurai clans or aristocratic lineages, reflecting the desire for their offspring to have a fragrant and renowned reputation.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kaname was Kaname no Sukune, a 7th-century courtier and member of the influential Nakatomi clan. He served as a ceremonial officer and advisor to the imperial court during the reign of Emperor Tenji.
In the 12th century, the name Kaname gained further prominence when it was mentioned in the famous Japanese literary work, "The Tale of Genji," written by Murasaki Shikibu. The character Kaname no Kyo, a skilled calligrapher, appeared in this iconic novel, reflecting the association of the name with artistry and refinement.
During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 CE), Kaname no Naganari (1132-1191) was a renowned samurai warrior and military strategist who served under the Minamoto clan. He played a pivotal role in the Genpei War, which established the Kamakura shogunate.
Another notable figure with the name Kaname was Kaname Akamatsu (1455-1538), a powerful daimyo (feudal lord) during the Sengoku period (15th-16th centuries). He ruled over the Akamatsu clan's domains in present-day Okayama Prefecture and was known for his skill in diplomacy and military tactics.
In more recent history, Kaname Harada (1834-1868) was a prominent samurai and member of the Shinsengumi, an elite paramilitary force that protected the Tokugawa shogunate during the Bakumatsu period (1853-1867). He was renowned for his bravery and unwavering loyalty.
People
Kaname + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaname 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
Kaname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaname?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaname 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 Kaname a common name?
We classify Kaname 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, 21 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kaname most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaname was 1920, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaname is about 9 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 Kaname in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kaname a male name?
Yes, 76.2% of people registered as Kaname 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 Kaname still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kaname 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 Kaname 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 Kaname?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Kaname at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.