Kigen
A Japanese name meaning "origin" or "starting point".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Kigen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kigen today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kigen births was 2022 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kigen. 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 Kigen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2022
6 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2022 SSA rank
#11,652
Tracked since 2022
Popularity
Kigen: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kigen 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 Kigen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kigen
The name Kigen originates from Japan and is a combination of the Japanese words "ki" meaning spirit or energy, and "gen" meaning origin or source. It is believed to have emerged during the Heian period (794-1185 AD) when Japanese names often incorporated philosophical or spiritual concepts.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Kigen can be found in the 12th century Japanese historical text, the Azuma Kagami, which chronicles the lives of prominent samurai families. However, the name does not appear to reference any specific individual in this text.
The first known person to bear the name Kigen was a Buddhist monk who lived in the late 12th century. Kigen Shogen was a renowned scholar and calligrapher who made significant contributions to the study and preservation of Buddhist scriptures.
In the 16th century, a famous warlord named Kigen Nobutada played a crucial role in the Sengoku period, a time of great political upheaval and constant military conflict between rival daimyo clans. Nobutada was a retainer of the powerful Oda clan and was known for his strategic prowess on the battlefield.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), a literary figure named Kigen Narisue gained recognition for his poetry and contributions to the development of the haiku form. His works were widely celebrated and influenced subsequent generations of Japanese poets.
In the 19th century, a prominent educator named Kigen Nakamura founded one of the first modern schools in Japan, which aimed to promote Western-style education and prepare students for the rapidly changing world. His progressive approach to education was influential in shaping the country's educational system.
Another notable figure with the name Kigen was a 20th century artist named Kigen Kawada. Born in 1916, Kawada was a renowned sculptor and woodcarver whose works often explored themes of spirituality and the human connection with nature. His sculptures can be found in museums and private collections around the world.
While not a common name in modern times, the name Kigen continues to carry a sense of deep meaning and cultural significance in Japan, reflecting its roots in philosophical and spiritual traditions.
People
Kigen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kigen 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
Kigen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kigen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kigen 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Kigen a common name?
We classify Kigen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kigen most popular?
The single biggest year for Kigen was 2022, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kigen is about 4 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 Kigen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kigen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kigen 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 Kigen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kigen 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 Kigen 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 common is the name Kigen?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.