Baby Name Popularity Profile

Kenji

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Kenji.

✦ Strong or wise second son 🌍 Japanese traditional
National Rank (2025) #944
All-Time Peak Rank #750 Achieved 1978
Total U.S. Births 5,624 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.8% Boy / 0.2% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1913 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 2020s 337 births in 2022
πŸ’‘ The Kenji Vibe: Considered a Modern Trend. A contemporary choice reflecting current cultural naming rhythms and popularity brackets.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Strong or wise second son
Language Origin Japanese
Origin Type single
Derived from Japanese, often combining kanji such as ε₯ (ken, 'strong, healthy'), θ³’ (ken, 'wise'), or 謙 (ken, 'humble') with 二 (ji, 'two, second') or ζ²» (ji, 'govern, peace').
Common Nicknames
Ken
Pronunciation: KEN-jee
Themes & Categories
traditional
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Kenji

According to SSA data, Kenji achieved its highest historical rank of #750 in 1978. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 2022 with 337 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have increased by 104.1%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 68 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Kenji across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Stable
10-Year Shift +104.1% Growth
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 337 births in 2022
Years in Top 100 0 yrs
Years in Top 500 0 yrs
Registry Streak 68 yrs
Historical Volatility Stable Profile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 0
1890s: 0
1900s: 0
1910s: 85
1920s: 213
1930s: 96
1940s: 23
1950s: 18
1960s: 104
1970s: 430
1980s: 359
1990s: 423
2000s: 889
2010s: 1,292
2020s: 1,692

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Ke-nji
Letter Count 5 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 7.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 7.7% of SSA names. Starts with K, a letter used by only 7.8% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Kenji.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Hawaii
Top States Hawaii, California, Nevada, Washington, Florida
States with Data 30
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Hawaii #135 186 1925 Insufficient historical volume
California #585 1,483 2023 +18.6% Growth
Nevada #483 33 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #592 121 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #937 246 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota Unranked 126 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #503 100 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #1045 115 2024 Insufficient historical volume
New York #1171 258 2021 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #846 95 2021 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #1836 241 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #1177 64 2023 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon Unranked 23 2023 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #703 35 1978 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #664 52 2024 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona Unranked 23 2006 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland Unranked 28 2023 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #1116 49 2024 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #1088 83 1978 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #1173 51 2021 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #776 41 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama Unranked 16 1978 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 11 2021 Insufficient historical volume
Utah Unranked 7 2023 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana Unranked 14 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee Unranked 16 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado Unranked 7 2020 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #1054 22 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut Unranked 5 2021 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #754 7 2025 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

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πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions
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