UK boy's name
Kanaan
Of Arabic origin, meaning "The Land of Canaan" or "The Promised Land".
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.
Kanaan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kanaan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4812, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2007 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Kanaan. 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
- • Kanaan ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 3 boys were registered as Kanaan.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kanaan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4812
2017
Births in 2017
3
Latest year
Peak year
2007
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Kanaan mean?
The name Kanaan has its origins in the ancient Semitic languages and is derived from the word "Kna'an," which means "lowland" or "flat land." It refers to the region that was once known as Canaan, a historical area that encompassed modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and parts of Syria and Jordan.
The name Kanaan is mentioned in various ancient texts, including the Hebrew Bible, where it is associated with the Promised Land given to the Israelites. In the Book of Genesis, Canaan is described as the son of Ham and the grandson of Noah, and the land of Canaan is referred to as the place where the Israelites settled after their exodus from Egypt.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Kanaan can be found in the Amarna Letters, a collection of diplomatic correspondence from the 14th century BCE between the Pharaohs of Egypt and their vassals in Canaan. These letters mention individuals with names derived from the word "Kna'an," suggesting that the name was in use during this time period.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Kanaan. One of the earliest recorded was Kanaan ibn al-Mu'tazz, an Arab poet who lived in the 9th century CE and was known for his skillful use of language and imagery.
Another famous bearer of the name was Kanaan Makiya, an Iraqi author and academic who was born in 1949. He is best known for his book "Republic of Fear," which provided a critical analysis of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq.
In the realm of sports, Kanaan Al-Bahrani was a Bahraini footballer who played as a defender for the Bahrain national team in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was part of the team that won the Gulf Cup in 1998 and the Arab Nations Cup in 2002.
Kanaan Kattan was a Palestinian artist and writer who was born in 1928 in Bethlehem. He is renowned for his contributions to Palestinian literature and his depictions of life in the region through his paintings and writings.
Finally, Kanaan Trimeche was a Tunisian lawyer and human rights activist who played a significant role in the country's independence movement in the 1950s. He served as the Secretary-General of the Tunisian Human Rights League and was a vocal advocate for democratic reforms.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kanaan over time
The chart below shows babies named Kanaan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2007 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 Kanaan, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kanaan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kanaan 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 | #4812 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #4333 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Kanaan
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kanaan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kanaan in the UK right now?
In 2017, Kanaan was ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kanaan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 3 babies registered as Kanaan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kanaan?
Of Arabic origin, meaning "The Land of Canaan" or "The Promised Land".
How many people are called Kanaan in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Kanaan across the 2 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.