Home / Name Directory / Canaan
How Many People Are Named Canaan?
Estimated people named Canaan living in the U.S. today
5,852
Gender distribution
95% male · 5% female in SSA records.
Name scorecard
- Total U.S. births recorded (1880–2024): 5,947
- Peak year: 2016 (385 births)
- Estimated living today: 5,852
Canaan by age group — who carries the name today?
Canaan popularity over time (1880–2024)
Estimated living bearers by birth decade
About the name Canaan
Canaan has been recorded by the Social Security Administration since the 19th century dataset began. In total, 5,947 babies were given the name in the United States between 1880 and 2024. After adjusting each birth cohort for survival to today, an estimated 5,852 bearers are still living — roughly 1 in 58,407 Americans. The name's strongest decade shapes how old most Canaans you meet will be, which the age-group breakdown above shows directly. All figures are statistical estimates from public records; see our methodology for sources, the survival model, and the limits of the data (names given to fewer than five babies in a year are not published by the SSA).
Frequently asked questions
How many people are named Canaan in the US?
An estimated 5,852 people named Canaan are living in the United States today, based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024 adjusted for survival. That makes Canaan very rare — about 1 in 58,407 Americans.
Is Canaan a boy or girl name?
In SSA records, Canaan is 95% male and 5% female, so it is predominantly a male name.
When was Canaan most popular?
Canaan peaked in 2016, when 385 babies were given the name. Its current trend is rising compared with the previous decade.
How rare is the name Canaan?
Canaan ranks #3,310 of 104,819 first names recorded by the SSA, with a rarity score of 56 out of 100 (higher means rarer).