Find out how popular the first name Kannon has been for the last 45 years (from 1979 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Kannon by gender

Based on the last 45 years of data, Kannon is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 98% of people named Kannon being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 298 male babies and 8 female babies born with the name Kannon.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 8 baby girls were named Kannon in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Kannon

The name Kannon has its origins in the Sanskrit name Avalokiteśvara, which means "the lord who gazes down" or "the lord of what we see." This name refers to the bodhisattva of compassion in Mahayana Buddhism. The name Kannon is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese transliteration of the Sanskrit name, Guanyin.

The name first appeared in Japan during the 6th century CE, when Buddhism was introduced to the country. The bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, known as Kannon in Japan, was widely revered and depicted in Buddhist art and literature. The name gained popularity as a given name for both males and females in Japan due to its association with compassion and spiritual enlightenment.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Kannon is in the Nihon Shoki, a historical record of ancient Japan compiled in the 8th century CE. The text mentions a prince named Kannon no Ōkimi, who lived in the late 6th century.

Throughout Japanese history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kannon, including Kannon Hōshi, a Buddhist monk and calligrapher who lived in the 15th century. Another famous Kannon was Kannon Watanabe, a 16th-century samurai and military commander who served under the Tokugawa shogunate.

In the realm of art, Kannon Natsume was a renowned Japanese painter and lacquer artist who lived in the late 19th century and was known for his exceptional works depicting Buddhist deities, including the bodhisattva Kannon.

The name Kannon has also been associated with notable figures in Japanese literature. Kannon Shozaburo was a renowned poet and haiku master who lived in the 18th century and was widely celebrated for his mastery of traditional Japanese poetic forms.

Another prominent individual bearing the name was Kannon Tomori, a 19th-century philosopher and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism in Japan.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Kannon was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kannon, please contact us.

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