NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Kayn

Of Persian origin, signifying one who is radiant or brilliant.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kayn is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kayn popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3848, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 4 births.

This profile covers 16 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2008 to 2020. 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.

Kayn is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 16 living people in the UK are called Kayn. 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 2021 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kayn ranked #3848 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2020, when 4 boys were registered as Kayn.
  • About 16 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kayn as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3848

2020

Births in 2020

4

Latest year

Peak year

2020

4 births

Estimated living

16

2026

Meaning

What does Kayn mean?

The name Kayn finds its origins in ancient Mesopotamia, specifically in the Sumerian language. It is believed to have derived from the word "ka-in," which means "to be strong" or "to endure." This name was prevalent among the Sumerian people who inhabited the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, roughly around the 3rd millennium BC.

One of the earliest known references to the name Kayn can be traced back to the Sumerian King List, an ancient manuscript that records the names of rulers who governed various city-states in ancient Mesopotamia. It is here that a king named Kayn-Gal is mentioned, though the exact dates of his reign remain uncertain.

In the later Babylonian era, around the 2nd millennium BC, the name Kayn was associated with the god of war and battles, known as Nergal. This association likely contributed to the name's popularity among warriors and those seeking strength and resilience.

The earliest recorded individual with the name Kayn was a Sumerian scribe and scholar who lived around the 21st century BC. His name was Kayn-Ilu, and he is credited with creating one of the earliest known writing systems, the cuneiform script, which was used to record various literary works and historical accounts.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Kayn. One such individual was Kayn ibn Ishaq, a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 9th century AD (801-873). He made significant contributions to the development of algebra and trigonometry.

Another famous bearer of the name was Kayn al-Din Pir, a Persian mystic and poet who lived in the 12th century AD (1145-1236). He is renowned for his spiritual writings and his influence on the Sufi tradition.

In the realm of literature, Kayn Hosseini is a prominent Afghan-American author who was born in 1965. He is best known for his novels "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns," which shed light on the experiences of Afghan people during times of conflict and turmoil.

Lastly, Kayn Massour is a contemporary Lebanese-American actor and filmmaker, born in 1980. He has starred in several popular television series and films, including "Homeland" and "Venom."

While the name Kayn has its roots in ancient Mesopotamian cultures, it has transcended geographical boundaries and found popularity across various regions and time periods, reflecting the diverse and rich tapestry of human history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kayn over time

The chart below shows babies named Kayn registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kayn, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2020, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kayn
01234200820142020

Decades

Kayn by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kayn 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
2020s #3848 4 1
2010s #4673 9 3
2000s #4432 3 1

Related

Names similar to Kayn

FAQ

Kayn: questions and answers

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

In 2020, Kayn was ranked #3848 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Kayn most popular?

The peak year on record was 2020, with 4 babies registered as Kayn in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kayn?

Of Persian origin, signifying one who is radiant or brilliant.

How many people are called Kayn in the UK?

A total of 16 babies have been registered as Kayn across the 5 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.