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Rare

Kanyon

An inventive spelling variation of the word "canyon," a deep ravine.

Name Census estimates that about 1,432 living Americans carry the first name Kanyon. It is a predominantly male name (92.2% of registrations). The average person named Kanyon today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kanyon births was 2007 (73 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Kanyon. 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

  • Kanyon is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 17 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.

People living today

1.4K

~ 1 in 239,354 Americans

Peak year

2007

73 babies that year

Average age

17

years old

2024 SSA rank

#3,836

Tracked since 1991

Gender

Gender distribution for Kanyon

Kanyon leans heavily male at 92.2% of total registrations, but 113 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.

92% male
Male1,335 (92.2%)Female113 (7.8%)

Kanyon as a male name

  • Ranked #3,836 in 2024
  • 29 male births in 2024
  • Peak: 2007 (66 births)

Kanyon as a female name

  • Ranked #12,870 in 2022
  • 7 female births in 2022
  • Peak: 2008 (10 births)

Popularity

Kanyon: popularity over time

The SSA tracks Kanyon from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 581 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Kanyon remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.

Babies born per year

MaleFemale
018375573199520002005201020152020

Decades

Kanyon 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 Kanyon during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
1990s17417191
2000s53249581
2010s41526441
2020s21421235

Geography

Where Kanyons live

The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. Utah, Texas, Oklahoma recorded the most babies named Kanyon, while North Carolina, California, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 40 registrations each.

Origin

Meaning and history of Kanyon

The name Kanyon is believed to have originated from the ancient Greek word "kanon," which means "rule" or "standard." It was initially used as a term in architecture and mathematics, referring to a set of principles or guidelines. The transition of this word into a personal name is not well documented, but it likely emerged as a symbolic representation of someone who adheres to principles or sets a standard.

During the Byzantine era, the name Kanyon appeared in several historical records, primarily as a monastic name. One notable bearer of this name was Kanyon of Iconium, a monk who lived in the 9th century and was known for his scholarly works on theology and philosophy.

In the 12th century, a French nobleman named Kanyon de Montfort gained recognition for his role in the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in southern France. His military exploits and controversial actions during this religious conflict were widely documented in medieval chronicles.

Fast forward to the 16th century, Kanyon Husung, a German cartographer, made significant contributions to the field of mapmaking. His detailed maps of various regions in Europe were highly acclaimed during his time.

Another historical figure bearing the name Kanyon was Kanyon Coolidge, an American politician and diplomat who served as the 30th Vice President of the United States from 1923 to 1929 under President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933).

In the realm of literature, Kanyon Mirbeau was a French novelist and playwright from the late 19th century, known for his satirical and socially critical works, such as "The Diary of a Chambermaid" and "The Torture Garden."

While the name Kanyon has been relatively uncommon throughout history, its roots can be traced back to ancient Greek principles and ideals. The individuals mentioned above, spanning various eras and fields, have contributed to the rich tapestry of this name's legacy.

People

Kanyon + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Kanyon 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

Kanyon: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Kanyon?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,432 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kanyon 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 239,354 US residents.

Is Kanyon a common name?

We classify Kanyon as "Rare". It ranks above 92.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,448 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Kanyon most popular?

The single biggest year for Kanyon was 2007, when 73 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kanyon is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.

Is Kanyon a male name?

Yes, 92.2% of people registered as Kanyon 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.

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.

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