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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Kenji — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Kenjal|Kenjiro
JapaneseBoy→ Stable

Kenji

KEN-jee · 2 syllables

Share Kenji:
Compare with another name
Boy
#855
→ Stable
#855
in the US · 2024
Popularity score: 32
Peak rank
#755 in 2022
5yr change
-28 ranks
Birth frequency
7.9 per 100,000 births
Sex split
100% boy · 0% girl

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #855 · Rising since 2020

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
Japanese boy names
Kenji

Popularity score: 32  ·  SSA Rank: #855

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
76
Higher than 76% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
→ Stable
-28 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Limited
.com taken · — · clear
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
80
2 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class
Name DNA
JapaneseModernBoy2-syllableKanjiContemporaryMeaningfulEast AsianUncommon US
Character
quiet strengthartistic sensitivitydisciplined focushumble wisdom
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Kenjis

creativevisionarytechnicalinnovativeartistic
STRONG
High confidence

Kenji is a Japanese boy name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #855 in the US in 2024.

Trend:→ Stable · -28 ranks
Feasibility:.com taken · — · clear
Popularity:#855 · rare
Kenji at a Glance
Meaning:Meaning varies by kanji; commonly 'healthy' (健) + 'second son' (二), or 'intelligent' (賢) + 'second son' (治)
Language root:Japanese · Kanji
Peak rank:#755 in 2022
5yr change:-28 ranks
Sex usage:100% boy · 0% girl
Notable bearers
Kenji Miyazawa
Author
Kenji Nakamura
Film director
Similar Sound
KanjiKojiKenzoToshiDaichi
Similar Style
HiroshiTakeshiJotaroMasaruNoboru
Works Well With
Sibling names that pair naturally with Kenji
SakuraYuki◈EmikoTomoeHideoAkira◈
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Japanese · #7931
↓ Fading
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→ Stable
Kobe
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→ Stable
Raiden
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→ Stable
Kaizen
Japanese · #506
↑ Rising
Kaisen
Japanese · #899
↑ Rising
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Kenji illustration
Name Intelligence
Kenji · Overview
Summary

Kenji is a Japanese boy name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #855 in the US in 2024.

Search interest: 3/100 → Stable

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Kenji scores 76/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Modern · Meaningful character
Kenji carries a bold, warm quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Domain taken
kenji.com is not available. Alternative TLDs may work.
Explore

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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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