The first name Canaan
A boy’s name from Hebrew.
Pronounced /ˈkeɪnən/ 2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
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/.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Canaan last appeared in the official list in 2023, given to 7 boys. It peaked in 1999, with 7 births (#1,664).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Canaan with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Canaan at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 212 boys born in the United States were named Canaan, the 1,044th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2016, when 385 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Chanaan
- Caanan
Famous people named Canaan
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Canaan Banana1st President of Zimbabwe (1936-2003)
More Hebrew boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Canaan mean?
- 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…
- What is the origin of the name Canaan?
- 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…
- How popular is the name Canaan?
- In 2023, 7 boys born in England and Wales were named Canaan, ranking 2,813th. Its peak was 1999, with 7 births.
- Is Canaan a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 95% of the 6,167 US babies named Canaan since 1880 were boys.
- When was Canaan most popular?
- 2016 in the United States, when 385 babies were named Canaan, its highest rank at 671st.
- How do you pronounce Canaan?
- Canaan is /ˈkeɪnən/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Canaan?
- Chanaan and Caanan.