NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Kitana

A feminine name of Japanese origin meaning "north".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kitana is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kitana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 7 births.

This profile covers 62 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 1998 to 2023. 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 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 62 living people in the UK are called Kitana. 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 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kitana ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2018, when 7 girls were registered as Kitana.
  • About 62 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kitana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5687

2023

Births in 2023

3

Latest year

Peak year

2018

7 births

Estimated living

62

2026

Meaning

What does Kitana mean?

The name Kitana is believed to have its origins in the Japanese language and culture. It is thought to be derived from the Japanese word "kitana," which means "beautiful" or "elegant." This suggests that the name may have been given to children with the hope that they would embody these qualities.

The earliest recorded use of the name Kitana dates back to the 17th century in Japan. During this time period, the name was likely used primarily within Japanese noble and samurai families, as names with more ornate or poetic meanings were often favored among the upper classes.

In ancient Japanese literature, there are a few references to characters with names similar to Kitana. For example, in the classic tale "The Tale of Genji," written in the early 11th century, there is a character named Kitanokaji, which translates to "beautiful tree." While not an exact match, this name shares the "kitan" element, which could be related to the root of Kitana.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kitana was Kitana Shōshin, a Japanese Buddhist monk and calligrapher who lived from 1670 to 1740. He was known for his skilled brushwork and for helping to preserve and promote the art of calligraphy during his lifetime.

Another notable Kitana from history was Kitana Hiroshige, a Japanese artist and ukiyo-e woodblock print master who lived from 1797 to 1858. He is particularly renowned for his landscape prints depicting scenes from the Tōkaidō road, which connected the cities of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and Kyoto.

In the 19th century, there was a Japanese poet and author named Kitana Akiko, born in 1878 and known for her works exploring themes of nature, love, and the human condition. Her poetry collections, such as "Tansoku" and "Shūcho," were widely celebrated during her lifetime.

Moving into the 20th century, Kitana Yasuko was a Japanese sculptor and ceramicist who lived from 1915 to 2005. She is remembered for her intricate ceramic sculptures and for helping to promote the art of ceramics both within Japan and internationally.

Finally, Kitana Eri was a Japanese actress and singer who lived from 1936 to 2019. She had a successful career in both film and television, appearing in numerous popular movies and TV series throughout her long career spanning several decades.

While the name Kitana has its roots in Japanese culture, it has since gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly in the United States and other Western countries, where it is often seen as an elegant and exotic-sounding name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kitana over time

The chart below shows babies named Kitana registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kitana, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kitana
02457199820102023

Decades

Kitana by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kitana 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 #5079 11 3
2010s #4463 28 6
2000s #4433 13 4
1990s #2793 10 2

Related

Names similar to Kitana

FAQ

Kitana: questions and answers

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

In 2023, Kitana was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Kitana most popular?

The peak year on record was 2018, with 7 babies registered as Kitana in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kitana?

A feminine name of Japanese origin meaning "north".

How many people are called Kitana in the UK?

A total of 62 babies have been registered as Kitana across the 15 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.