The baby name Kannan is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /kaɳɳan/ (IPA); anglicized: KAHN-nahn.
The baby name Kannan is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /kaɳɳan/ (IPA); anglicized: KAHN-nahn.
Kannan is Hindu, Tamil in Origin.
Rooted in Tamil and Malayalam, Kannan (Tamil: Kaṇṇan, கண்ணன்) is an affectionate vernacular name for the Hindu god Krishna. Etymologically it derives from Tamil kaṇ, “eye,” with the endearing suffix -an, conveying “one with beautiful eyes,” hence “beloved.” In everyday speech, kanna/kannan functions as a tender address to a child.
The name is prominent in South Indian Bhakti literature; Āḻvār hymns (such as Āṇḍāl’s Tiruppāvai) lovingly call Krishna “Kanna,” and devotional music and folklore across Tamil Nadu and Kerala have kept it popular. Today it is a common given name and, via South Indian patronymic practice, can also appear as a surname. Variants include Kaṇṇan, Kanna, Kannaa, and the related theonyms Krishnan/Krishna; Kannappan is a regional elaboration. While primarily South Indian, the name is well recognized in the diaspora. Connotations include charm, protection, playfulness, and divine love.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BN | 0 | #32 | 1 | 2,297 | |
| MV | Boys | 0 | #60 | 18 | 3,375 |
| IN | 0 | #67 | 5 | 2,963 | |
| OM | 0 | #83 | 34 | 6,215 | |
| SG | Boys | 0 | #85 | 1,721 | 17,960 |
| QA | 0 | #88 | 13 | 7,011 | |
| BN | Boys | 0 | #109 | 25 | 6,332 |
| PH | 0 | #110 | 1 | 5,607 | |
| BN | Girls | 0 | #114 | 1 | 5,459 |
| KW | 0 | #114 | 8 | 5,216 | |
| CY | Boys | 0 | #131 | 1 | 3,473 |
| OM | Boys | 0 | #146 | 1,709 | 17,948 |
| AE | 0 | #158 | 20 | 10,220 | |
| HU | Boys | 0 | #174 | 1 | 3,954 |
| MT | Boys | 0 | #178 | 2 | 4,064 |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #186 | 815 | 18,093 |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #202 | 954 | 18,755 |
| DK | 0 | #205 | 2 | 5,198 | |
| BH | 0 | #219 | 410 | 17,937 | |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #239 | 1,960 | 22,615 |
| SG | 0 | #247 | 23 | 11,010 | |
| QA | Girls | 0 | #282 | 35 | 15,378 |
| SA | 0 | #286 | 10 | 10,560 | |
| JM | Boys | 0 | #293 | 1 | 6,876 |
| JP | Boys | 0 | #302 | 2 | 7,909 |
| MY | 0 | #313 | 18 | 12,352 | |
| DK | Boys | 0 | #326 | 7 | 7,401 |
| CN | Boys | 0 | #329 | 3 | 9,639 |
| JO | Girls | 0 | #339 | 1 | 7,570 |
| PL | Boys | 0 | #340 | 1 | 6,459 |
| IN | Boys | 0 | #353 | 1,020 | 16,750 |
| OM | Girls | 0 | #353 | 44 | 15,987 |
| HK | 0 | #357 | 1 | 8,483 | |
| GH | Boys | 0 | #360 | 2 | 8,138 |
| Finland | Boys | 0 | #366 | 62 | 2,041 |
| JO | Boys | 0 | #367 | 11 | 7,057 |
| YE | 0 | #392 | 7 | 8,639 | |
| PH | Boys | 0 | #408 | 1 | 11,440 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #422 | 983 | 25,439 |
| SD | Boys | 0 | #459 | 8 | 10,523 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #465 | 2,437 | 28,008 |
| KW | Girls | 0 | #471 | 45 | 19,177 |
| AE | Girls | 0 | #491 | 63 | 20,968 |
| CR | Boys | 0 | #510 | 1 | 10,188 |
| IQ | Girls | 0 | #525 | 1 | 11,303 |
| SG | Girls | 0 | #527 | 60 | 18,916 |
| HK | Boys | 0 | #554 | 4 | 12,905 |
| LY | 0 | #558 | 2 | 12,703 | |
| PS | Boys | 0 | #559 | 3 | 10,655 |
| IR | Boys | 0 | #565 | 1 | 10,162 |
| CM | Boys | 0 | #575 | 1 | 12,054 |
| IN | Girls | 0 | #578 | 54 | 13,121 |
| BD | Boys | 0 | #604 | 2 | 10,045 |
| IL | Boys | 0 | #625 | 1 | 10,983 |
| IQ | Boys | 0 | #647 | 21 | 13,071 |
| HK | Girls | 0 | #650 | 1 | 16,104 |
| LB | 0 | #683 | 8 | 13,263 | |
| BR | Boys | 0 | #785 | 1 | 12,213 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #820 | 116 | 25,931 |
| NG | Girls | 0 | #826 | 1 | 15,093 |
| United States | Boys | 2024 | #880 | 13 | 7,044 |
| EG | Boys | 0 | #922 | 4 | 15,035 |
| Germany | Boys | 0 | #938 | 15 | 5,697 |
| MY | Girls | 0 | #958 | 37 | 24,821 |
| NG | Boys | 0 | #1,000 | 2 | 16,906 |
| MA | 0 | #1,196 | 4 | 20,986 | |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,267 | 6 | 25,619 |
| IT | Boys | 0 | #1,450 | 22 | 10,046 |
Kannan is popular in 43 countries — most recent births per country:
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