UK boy's name
Konan
A Japanese feminine name with possible meanings of "little wave" or "beautiful wave".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Konan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Konan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3254, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 10 births.
This profile covers 37 England and Wales registrations across 8 recorded years from 2015 to 2024. 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 37 living people in the UK are called Konan. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Konan ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 10 boys were registered as Konan.
- • About 37 living people in the UK are estimated to have Konan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3254
2024
Births in 2024
6
Latest year
Peak year
2023
10 births
Estimated living
37
2026
Meaning
What does Konan mean?
The given name Konan has its origins in the Japanese language. The earliest recorded use of this name dates back to the late 6th century AD, during the Asuka period of ancient Japanese history.
Konan is derived from the Japanese words "ko" meaning "child" or "little" and "nan" meaning "patience" or "perseverance". Thus, the name Konan can be interpreted to mean "little patience" or "persevering child".
One of the earliest known historical figures with this name was Konan, a Japanese Buddhist monk who lived from 628 to 710 AD. He is credited with introducing the Buddhist teachings of the Hosso school to Japan.
Another notable figure was Konan, a Japanese waka poet who lived during the early Heian period in the 9th century AD. Her poems are included in the famous imperial anthology of Japanese poetry, the Kokinshu.
In the 12th century, there was a Japanese samurai warrior named Konan who served under the powerful Minamoto clan during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and Taira clans.
During the Edo period of Japanese history, from the 17th to 19th centuries, there was a Konan who was a renowned swordsmith and master of the Japanese sword-making tradition.
In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals with the name Konan was Konan Narahari Nayar, an Indian playwright, poet, and social reformer who lived from 1858 to 1917. He played a significant role in the renaissance of Malayalam literature and the social reform movements in the Indian state of Kerala.
While the name Konan has its roots in Japan, it has been used in various cultures and regions over the centuries, each with its unique interpretation and significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Konan over time
The chart below shows babies named Konan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2015 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Konan, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Konan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Konan 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 | #3703 | 22 | 4 |
| 2010s | #4226 | 15 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Konan
- 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
Konan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Konan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Konan was ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Konan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 10 babies registered as Konan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Konan?
A Japanese feminine name with possible meanings of "little wave" or "beautiful wave".
How many people are called Konan in the UK?
A total of 37 babies have been registered as Konan across the 8 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.