NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Kana

Feminine name of Hawaiian origin meaning "the beautiful one".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kana is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5765, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 4 births.

This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 1997 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Kana. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kana ranked #5765 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1997, when 4 girls were registered as Kana.
  • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5765

2017

Births in 2017

3

Latest year

Peak year

1997

4 births

Estimated living

13

2026

Meaning

What does Kana mean?

The name Kana has its origins in various cultures and languages around the world. It is believed to have derived from the Japanese word "kana," which refers to the syllabic scripts used alongside the logographic kanji in written Japanese. The kana scripts, hiragana and katakana, are phonetic scripts that were developed to represent the Japanese language more accurately.

In Japanese culture, Kana is a unisex name that can be used for both boys and girls. It is often associated with the concepts of purity, simplicity, and elegance, reflecting the aesthetic principles of traditional Japanese art and literature.

Beyond its Japanese roots, the name Kana has also been found in various other cultures and contexts. In Sanskrit, the name Kana is derived from the word "kana," meaning "small" or "young." This connection suggests that the name may have been used to signify a sense of youth, innocence, or tender age.

Historically, the name Kana has been recorded in ancient texts and religious scriptures, though its exact origins remain obscure. One notable reference is found in the Buddhist scriptures, where the term "kana" is used to describe a type of celestial being or divine entity.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the first name Kana. One of the earliest recorded examples is Kana no Naishi (995-1035), a Japanese court lady and poet of the Heian period, renowned for her contributions to the imperial anthology "Goshūi Wakashū."

Another significant figure is Kana Nishino (born in 1989), a Japanese singer, songwriter, and actress who has gained immense popularity for her music and acting roles in various Japanese television dramas and films.

In the realm of sports, Kana Ichikawa (born in 1992) is a Japanese professional tennis player who has achieved notable success on the WTA Tour, winning multiple singles and doubles titles.

Kana Tsugihara (born in 1984) is a Japanese actress and model known for her roles in various Japanese television series and movies, as well as her work as a fashion model.

Lastly, Kana Hanazawa (born in 1986) is a renowned Japanese voice actress who has lent her voice to numerous anime characters and has gained a significant following among anime fans worldwide.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Kana, each contributing to its rich cultural legacy and diverse meanings across various contexts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kana over time

The chart below shows babies named Kana registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kana, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kana
01234199720072017

Decades

Kana by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kana was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #5760 9 3
1990s #3174 4 1

Related

Names similar to Kana

FAQ

Kana: questions and answers

How popular is the name Kana in the UK right now?

In 2017, Kana was ranked #5765 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Kana most popular?

The peak year on record was 1997, with 4 babies registered as Kana in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kana?

Feminine name of Hawaiian origin meaning "the beautiful one".

How many people are called Kana in the UK?

A total of 13 babies have been registered as Kana across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.