Fun Facts About the Name Kannan
- 345 babies named Kannan: U.S. records list 345 babies given the name Kannan from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Kannan Mean?
Kannan is a Tamil name meaning "the beautiful-eyed one." It is built from the Tamil word kaṇ ("eye") plus a masculine personal ending, so its literal sense is close to "he of the eyes." In Tamil devotional usage it is a name for Krishna, who is traditionally described as having eyes like lotuses; that application to the deity is a religious reading of the literal meaning, not a separate etymology. The name is Dravidian and is not a form of the Sanskrit Kṛṣṇa, although both names refer to the same god.
Kannan Name History & Origins
Kannan belongs to the Tamil-speaking region of southern India. It appears as a name for Krishna in the Tamil Vaishnava hymns of the Alvars, the poet-saints whose devotional songs were composed in the middle centuries of the first millennium. In those hymns Krishna is addressed as Kannan alongside other Tamil names such as Mayon and Tirumal, and the name carries the affectionate, intimate tone of that poetry.
Because it is a Tamil word rather than a Sanskrit one, Kannan did not travel through the same channels as names borrowed from Sanskrit scripture; it spread with the Tamil language itself. It is a common given name for boys in Tamil Nadu and among Tamil communities in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Tamil diaspora. In Kerala, Kannan also occurs as a family name among Malayali Hindus, a separate usage from its role as a personal name in Tamil.
How Popular is the Name Kannan?
Kannan has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2018. Its best rank was #4,054 in 2018.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,499 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2024 | #6,623 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2023 | #4,278 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 2022 | #4,624 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #4,556 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #5,574 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #4,558 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2018 | #4,054 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2017 | #4,842 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2016 | #4,862 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2015 | #5,872 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2014 | #7,292 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #10,194 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #13,243 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #7,242 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2010 | #7,866 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #6,632 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #11,822 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #8,576 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #8,389 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #7,548 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #10,048 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #6,712 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #7,112 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #9,301 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #9,063 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Kannan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Kannan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kannan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.