A name. A world of connections.

Canaan

Biblical Hebrew roots

masculineLatin script

Hear the name

English (Southern England)

Origin: Biblical Hebrew
1 language contexts: English
Follow the evidence: 4 cited sources Source-reported

01 / Meaning & origin

About Canaan

Canaan is a masculine given name documented in English. English Wiktionary traces it to Biblical Hebrew כְּנַעַן via Ecclesiastical Latin and Ancient Greek.

Biblical Hebrew origin

Source-reported

Taken (at least as early as Wycliffe's Bible, 1382-1395, which has Chanaan) from Ecclesiastical Latin Chanaān, from Ancient Greek Χαναάν (Khanaán), expanded from Χνᾶ (Khnâ), from Biblical Hebrew כְּנַעַן (kanáʕan). The first vowel shifted from /aː/ to /eɪ/ in the Great Vowel Shift; at least as early as Milton (1660s), the word could already be pronounced with two syllables, though at least as late as the 1880s it could also be pronounced with three, /ˈkeɪ.nə.æn/.

Sources for this account (2)

Wiktionary: CanaanCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Russian Wiktionary: CanaanCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14

02 / Across borders

Where Canaan is used

Explore published naming statistics and documented language connections around the world.

The name atlas

Across borders

countries in our sources

Select a country to follow Canaan’s connections around the world.

2 countries with published statistics. Language records show cultural connections; they do not measure how common a name is.

Selected country

United States

Statistics + language records

United States, 2025: 212 boys (rank 1044). Documented as a given name in English.

Explore United States

4 of 10 countries

03 / By the numbers

Popularity over time

Follow the spelling through the years, one published dataset at a time.

United States

1880–2025 Spelling: Canaan

Region and dataset

Latest · 2025: 212; applications; Rank #1,044
Peak year: 2016; 385 applications

Hover to explore a year. Use arrow keys when a chart point has focus.

Source: US Social Security Administration; redistributed by nkrishnaswami · SSA national baby names, 1880–2025 (CC0 redistribution)

Integer application counts retained without rounding.

Per million is unavailable: this source has no matching published total.

Show the data table

Canaan in United States, boys: applications and rank by year
Year	Applications	Rank	Status
1880	no value	no value	not covered
1881	no value	no value	not covered
1882	no value	no value	not covered
1883	no value	no value	not covered
1884	no value	no value	not covered
1885	no value	no value	not covered
1886	no value	no value	not covered
1887	no value	no value	not covered
1888	no value	no value	not covered
1889	no value	no value	not covered
1890	no value	no value	not covered
1891	no value	no value	not covered
1892	no value	no value	not covered
1893	no value	no value	not covered
1894	no value	no value	not covered
1895	no value	no value	not covered
1896	no value	no value	not covered
1897	no value	no value	not covered
1898	no value	no value	not covered
1899	no value	no value	not covered
1900	no value	no value	not covered
1901	no value	no value	not covered
1902	no value	no value	not covered
1903	no value	no value	not covered
1904	no value	no value	not covered
1905	no value	no value	not covered
1906	no value	no value	not covered
1907	no value	no value	not covered
1908	no value	no value	not covered
1909	no value	no value	not covered
1910	no value	no value	not covered
1911	no value	no value	not covered
1912	no value	no value	not covered
1913	no value	no value	not covered
1914	no value	no value	not covered
1915	no value	no value	not covered
1916	no value	no value	not covered
1917	no value	no value	not covered
1918	no value	no value	not covered
1919	no value	no value	not covered
1920	no value	no value	not covered
1921	no value	no value	not covered
1922	no value	no value	not covered
1923	no value	no value	not covered
1924	no value	no value	not covered
1925	no value	no value	not covered
1926	no value	no value	not covered
1927	no value	no value	not covered
1928	no value	no value	not covered
1929	no value	no value	not covered
1930	no value	no value	not covered
1931	no value	no value	not covered
1932	no value	no value	not covered
1933	no value	no value	not covered
1934	no value	no value	not covered
1935	no value	no value	not covered
1936	no value	no value	not covered
1937	no value	no value	not covered
1938	no value	no value	not covered
1939	no value	no value	not covered
1940	no value	no value	not covered
1941	no value	no value	not covered
1942	no value	no value	not covered
1943	no value	no value	not covered
1944	no value	no value	not covered
1945	no value	no value	not covered
1946	no value	no value	not covered
1947	no value	no value	not covered
1948	no value	no value	not covered
1949	no value	no value	not covered
1950	no value	no value	not covered
1951	no value	no value	not covered
1952	no value	no value	not covered
1953	no value	no value	not covered
1954	no value	no value	not covered
1955	no value	no value	not covered
1956	no value	no value	not covered
1957	no value	no value	not covered
1958	no value	no value	not covered
1959	no value	no value	not covered
1960	no value	no value	not covered
1961	no value	no value	not covered
1962	no value	no value	not covered
1963	no value	no value	not covered
1964	no value	no value	not covered
1965	no value	no value	not covered
1966	no value	no value	not covered
1967	no value	no value	not covered
1968	no value	no value	not covered
1969	no value	no value	not covered
1970	no value	no value	not covered
1971	no value	no value	not covered
1972	no value	no value	not covered
1973	6	4,505	observed
1974	12	2,946	observed
1975	10	3,428	observed
1976	11	3,264	observed
1977	19	2,361	observed
1978	10	3,614	observed
1979	14	3,018	observed
1980	15	2,965	observed
1981	21	2,338	observed
1982	16	2,831	observed
1983	34	1,687	observed
1984	25	2,098	observed
1985	16	2,942	observed
1986	15	3,131	observed
1987	27	2,169	observed
1988	22	2,599	observed
1989	26	2,469	observed
1990	52	1,587	observed
1991	43	1,823	observed
1992	44	1,844	observed
1993	58	1,554	observed
1994	54	1,664	observed
1995	52	1,706	observed
1996	75	1,400	observed
1997	87	1,310	observed
1998	91	1,301	observed
1999	79	1,457	observed
2000	93	1,361	observed
2001	108	1,231	observed
2002	99	1,332	observed
2003	119	1,224	observed
2004	118	1,271	observed
2005	126	1,253	observed
2006	161	1,091	observed
2007	137	1,277	observed
2008	150	1,182	observed
2009	146	1,226	observed
2010	163	1,137	observed
2011	159	1,136	observed
2012	172	1,084	observed
2013	149	1,203	observed
2014	180	1,074	observed
2015	285	806	observed
2016	385	669	observed
2017	318	745	observed
2018	270	827	observed
2019	265	845	observed
2020	231	950	observed
2021	236	954	observed
2022	236	959	observed
2023	190	1,111	observed
2024	201	1,082	observed
2025	212	1,044	observed

About this dataset and its counting rules

Statistics count the spelling “Canaan” as recorded by the publisher. When a spelling has several independent origins, the counts are not split between them. Counts measure applications. Gaps are years without a published value, not zeros.

Rates per million are unavailable for this series because no compatible denominator has been imported.

Universe: US national Social Security card applications by name, sex and birth year; not a complete birth registry, especially before 1937.
Rounding: Integer application counts retained without rounding.
Suppression: Only names with at least 5 occurrences in a year and sex are included. Missing observations are not zeros.
Ranking: computed by NameStoria from published counts; ties share a rank, next rank skips. The mirror's derived rank column is not used.

Retrieved 2026-10-15 · CC0-1.0

Read our methodology

04 / Through time

History

Notable bearers

People recorded with this given name in Wikidata. Their names may use a different spelling, or include it as a middle or baptismal name.

Canaan Banana
1936–2003
1st President of Zimbabwe (1936-2003)
Wikipedia Wikidata source

A little story to keep

A name worth keeping.

Take the story of Canaan with you. Create a personal name passport with its meaning, roots and connections.

06 / Behind the facts

Sources for this page

Review status: Source-reported — no editorial review recorded yet. Last data change 2026-10-15.

Name origins & languageDictionaries, name records and related forms3

Wikidata Q136891111CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Wiktionary: CanaanCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Russian Wiktionary: CanaanCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14

Pronunciation recordingsAudio credits and individual recording licences1

Wikimedia Commons: File:LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Canaan.wavCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Statistics and surveysPublishers, dataset licences and retrieval dates4

SSA national baby names, 1880–2025 (CC0 redistribution)
US Social Security Administration; redistributed by nkrishnaswami · CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Ontario top baby names, historical archive 1917–2013
Government of Ontario (Office of the Registrar General) · OGL-ON-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Ontario first baby names, 1913–2023 (verified redistribution)
Government of Ontario; redistributed by helloharun · OGL-ON-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
NISRA — First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland, 1997-2025 (full list)
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) · OGL-UK-3.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Wiktionary text: CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata: CC0. Commons recordings retain their individual file licences. Complete attribution is available in each group above and alongside each chart.

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About Canaan

Canaan is a masculine given name documented in English. English Wiktionary traces it to Biblical Hebrew כְּנַעַן via Ecclesiastical Latin and Ancient Greek.

Biblical Hebrew origin

Source-reported

Sources for this account (2)

Wiktionary: CanaanCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Russian Wiktionary: CanaanCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14

Where Canaan is used

Explore published naming statistics and documented language connections around the world.

The name atlas

Across borders

countries in our sources

Select a country to follow Canaan’s connections around the world.

2 countries with published statistics. Language records show cultural connections; they do not measure how common a name is.

Selected country

United States

Statistics + language records

United States, 2025: 212 boys (rank 1044). Documented as a given name in English.

Explore United States

4 of 10 countries

Popularity over time

Follow the spelling through the years, one published dataset at a time.

United States

1880–2025 Spelling: Canaan

Region and dataset

Latest · 2025: 212; applications; Rank #1,044
Peak year: 2016; 385 applications

Hover to explore a year. Use arrow keys when a chart point has focus.

Source: US Social Security Administration; redistributed by nkrishnaswami · SSA national baby names, 1880–2025 (CC0 redistribution)

Integer application counts retained without rounding.

Per million is unavailable: this source has no matching published total.

Show the data table

Canaan in United States, boys: applications and rank by year
Year	Applications	Rank	Status
1880	no value	no value	not covered
1881	no value	no value	not covered
1882	no value	no value	not covered
1883	no value	no value	not covered
1884	no value	no value	not covered
1885	no value	no value	not covered
1886	no value	no value	not covered
1887	no value	no value	not covered
1888	no value	no value	not covered
1889	no value	no value	not covered
1890	no value	no value	not covered
1891	no value	no value	not covered
1892	no value	no value	not covered
1893	no value	no value	not covered
1894	no value	no value	not covered
1895	no value	no value	not covered
1896	no value	no value	not covered
1897	no value	no value	not covered
1898	no value	no value	not covered
1899	no value	no value	not covered
1900	no value	no value	not covered
1901	no value	no value	not covered
1902	no value	no value	not covered
1903	no value	no value	not covered
1904	no value	no value	not covered
1905	no value	no value	not covered
1906	no value	no value	not covered
1907	no value	no value	not covered
1908	no value	no value	not covered
1909	no value	no value	not covered
1910	no value	no value	not covered
1911	no value	no value	not covered
1912	no value	no value	not covered
1913	no value	no value	not covered
1914	no value	no value	not covered
1915	no value	no value	not covered
1916	no value	no value	not covered
1917	no value	no value	not covered
1918	no value	no value	not covered
1919	no value	no value	not covered
1920	no value	no value	not covered
1921	no value	no value	not covered
1922	no value	no value	not covered
1923	no value	no value	not covered
1924	no value	no value	not covered
1925	no value	no value	not covered
1926	no value	no value	not covered
1927	no value	no value	not covered
1928	no value	no value	not covered
1929	no value	no value	not covered
1930	no value	no value	not covered
1931	no value	no value	not covered
1932	no value	no value	not covered
1933	no value	no value	not covered
1934	no value	no value	not covered
1935	no value	no value	not covered
1936	no value	no value	not covered
1937	no value	no value	not covered
1938	no value	no value	not covered
1939	no value	no value	not covered
1940	no value	no value	not covered
1941	no value	no value	not covered
1942	no value	no value	not covered
1943	no value	no value	not covered
1944	no value	no value	not covered
1945	no value	no value	not covered
1946	no value	no value	not covered
1947	no value	no value	not covered
1948	no value	no value	not covered
1949	no value	no value	not covered
1950	no value	no value	not covered
1951	no value	no value	not covered
1952	no value	no value	not covered
1953	no value	no value	not covered
1954	no value	no value	not covered
1955	no value	no value	not covered
1956	no value	no value	not covered
1957	no value	no value	not covered
1958	no value	no value	not covered
1959	no value	no value	not covered
1960	no value	no value	not covered
1961	no value	no value	not covered
1962	no value	no value	not covered
1963	no value	no value	not covered
1964	no value	no value	not covered
1965	no value	no value	not covered
1966	no value	no value	not covered
1967	no value	no value	not covered
1968	no value	no value	not covered
1969	no value	no value	not covered
1970	no value	no value	not covered
1971	no value	no value	not covered
1972	no value	no value	not covered
1973	6	4,505	observed
1974	12	2,946	observed
1975	10	3,428	observed
1976	11	3,264	observed
1977	19	2,361	observed
1978	10	3,614	observed
1979	14	3,018	observed
1980	15	2,965	observed
1981	21	2,338	observed
1982	16	2,831	observed
1983	34	1,687	observed
1984	25	2,098	observed
1985	16	2,942	observed
1986	15	3,131	observed
1987	27	2,169	observed
1988	22	2,599	observed
1989	26	2,469	observed
1990	52	1,587	observed
1991	43	1,823	observed
1992	44	1,844	observed
1993	58	1,554	observed
1994	54	1,664	observed
1995	52	1,706	observed
1996	75	1,400	observed
1997	87	1,310	observed
1998	91	1,301	observed
1999	79	1,457	observed
2000	93	1,361	observed
2001	108	1,231	observed
2002	99	1,332	observed
2003	119	1,224	observed
2004	118	1,271	observed
2005	126	1,253	observed
2006	161	1,091	observed
2007	137	1,277	observed
2008	150	1,182	observed
2009	146	1,226	observed
2010	163	1,137	observed
2011	159	1,136	observed
2012	172	1,084	observed
2013	149	1,203	observed
2014	180	1,074	observed
2015	285	806	observed
2016	385	669	observed
2017	318	745	observed
2018	270	827	observed
2019	265	845	observed
2020	231	950	observed
2021	236	954	observed
2022	236	959	observed
2023	190	1,111	observed
2024	201	1,082	observed
2025	212	1,044	observed

About this dataset and its counting rules

Rates per million are unavailable for this series because no compatible denominator has been imported.

Universe: US national Social Security card applications by name, sex and birth year; not a complete birth registry, especially before 1937.
Rounding: Integer application counts retained without rounding.
Suppression: Only names with at least 5 occurrences in a year and sex are included. Missing observations are not zeros.
Ranking: computed by NameStoria from published counts; ties share a rank, next rank skips. The mirror's derived rank column is not used.

Retrieved 2026-10-15 · CC0-1.0

Read our methodology

Sources for this page

Review status: Source-reported — no editorial review recorded yet. Last data change 2026-10-15.

Name origins & languageDictionaries, name records and related forms3

Wikidata Q136891111CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Wiktionary: CanaanCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Russian Wiktionary: CanaanCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14

Pronunciation recordingsAudio credits and individual recording licences1

Wikimedia Commons: File:LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Canaan.wavCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Statistics and surveysPublishers, dataset licences and retrieval dates4

SSA national baby names, 1880–2025 (CC0 redistribution)
US Social Security Administration; redistributed by nkrishnaswami · CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Ontario top baby names, historical archive 1917–2013
Government of Ontario (Office of the Registrar General) · OGL-ON-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Ontario first baby names, 1913–2023 (verified redistribution)
Government of Ontario; redistributed by helloharun · OGL-ON-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
NISRA — First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland, 1997-2025 (full list)
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) · OGL-UK-3.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Wiktionary text: CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata: CC0. Commons recordings retain their individual file licences. Complete attribution is available in each group above and alongside each chart.

A story to pass on.

About Canaan

Biblical Hebrew origin

Where Canaan is used

Across borders

United States

Popularity over time

United States

History

Notable bearers

Canaan Banana

Related names

Different forms. Shared stories.

Meet the family

A name worth keeping.

Sources for this page

A story to pass on.

About Canaan

Biblical Hebrew origin

Where Canaan is used

Across borders

United States

Popularity over time

United States

History

Notable bearers

Canaan Banana

Related names

Different forms. Shared stories.

Meet the family

A name worth keeping.

Sources for this page