Kandis
A feminine name deriving from the Greek "kandia", meaning "brilliant white".
Name Census estimates that about 2,445 living Americans carry the first name Kandis. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kandis today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kandis births was 1987 (135 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kandis. 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.
People living today
2.4K
~ 1 in 140,186 Americans
Peak year
1987
135 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
2016 SSA rank
#11,303
Tracked since 1946
Popularity
Kandis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kandis from the 1940s through to the 2010s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 1,021 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kandis 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 Kandis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kandis' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 21 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Kandis, while Minnesota, Kentucky, Kansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 31 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kandis
The given name Kandis has its origins in the ancient Greek language. It is derived from the word "kandelos," which means "bright" or "shining." This name was popular among the ancient Greeks, particularly in the regions of Athens and the surrounding areas.
During the classical period of ancient Greece, the name Kandis was often associated with the goddess Athena, who was revered as the goddess of wisdom, courage, and civilization. In some ancient Greek texts, there are references to priestesses and notable women who bore this name, suggesting its connection to strength and intelligence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kandis can be found in the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BCE. He mentions a woman named Kandis from the city of Miletus, who was known for her wisdom and her role in resolving a political conflict.
In the Byzantine era, which lasted from the 4th to the 15th century CE, the name Kandis continued to be used, although its popularity waned slightly. One notable figure from this period was Kandis of Constantinople, a scholar and philosopher who lived in the 11th century CE and wrote extensively on the subjects of logic and metaphysics.
During the Renaissance period in Europe, the name Kandis experienced a revival, particularly in Italy and Greece. One notable figure from this time was Kandis Paleologos, a Byzantine princess and scholar who lived in the 15th century CE. She was renowned for her knowledge of classical Greek literature and her efforts to preserve ancient texts.
Other notable figures who bore the name Kandis throughout history include:
1. Kandis of Alexandria (3rd century CE), a renowned mathematician and astronomer from ancient Egypt.
2. Kandis of Antioch (4th century CE), a Christian martyr and saint venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
3. Kandis Komnenos (12th century CE), a Byzantine noblewoman and patron of the arts.
4. Kandis Mavrokordatos (17th century CE), a Greek scholar and diplomat who played a significant role in the Greek War of Independence.
5. Kandis Kyriazis (19th century CE), a Greek painter and one of the pioneers of the Munich School of Greek art.
While the name Kandis may have fallen out of common use in recent times, its rich history and connection to the ancient Greek language and culture have left an indelible mark on its meaning and significance.
People
Kandis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kandis 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
Kandis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kandis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,445 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kandis 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 140,186 US residents.
Is Kandis a common name?
We classify Kandis as "Rare". It ranks above 94.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,727 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kandis most popular?
The single biggest year for Kandis was 1987, when 135 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kandis is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kandis a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kandis in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.