Boy nameCurrently #855 in the USRising
Kenji
KEN-jee//ˈkɛndʒi//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20225 lettersStarts with K
Meaning & origin
Strong and intelligent (meaning depends on kanji used)
Kenji is a Japanese name whose meaning depends entirely on the kanji characters chosen, commonly combining elements for 'strong', 'wise', or 'second son'. Its precise meaning always varies by the family's chosen characters rather than a single fixed definition.
Kenji's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Kenji |
|---|---|
| 1913 | 5 |
| 1914 | 9 |
| 1915 | 6 |
| 1916 | 10 |
| 1917 | 15 |
| 1918 | 17 |
| 1919 | 23 |
| 1920 | 27 |
| 1921 | 15 |
| 1922 | 30 |
| 1923 | 24 |
| 1924 | 20 |
| 1925 | 29 |
| 1926 | 16 |
| 1927 | 16 |
| 1928 | 17 |
| 1929 | 19 |
| 1930 | 11 |
| 1931 | 10 |
| 1932 | 6 |
| 1933 | 12 |
| 1934 | 9 |
| 1935 | 10 |
| 1936 | 6 |
| 1937 | 12 |
| 1938 | 9 |
| 1939 | 11 |
| 1940 | 8 |
| 1943 | 7 |
| 1944 | 8 |
| 1956 | 5 |
| 1958 | 7 |
| 1959 | 6 |
| 1960 | 8 |
| 1961 | 7 |
| 1962 | 7 |
| 1963 | 7 |
| 1964 | 8 |
| 1965 | 9 |
| 1966 | 11 |
| 1967 | 13 |
| 1968 | 17 |
| 1969 | 17 |
| 1970 | 16 |
| 1971 | 19 |
| 1972 | 21 |
| 1973 | 28 |
| 1974 | 25 |
| 1975 | 32 |
| 1976 | 26 |
| 1977 | 57 |
| 1978 | 135 |
| 1979 | 84 |
| 1980 | 78 |
| 1981 | 40 |
| 1982 | 45 |
| 1983 | 28 |
| 1984 | 35 |
| 1985 | 30 |
| 1986 | 34 |
| 1987 | 22 |
| 1988 | 28 |
| 1989 | 27 |
| 1990 | 31 |
| 1991 | 32 |
| 1992 | 39 |
| 1993 | 30 |
| 1994 | 27 |
| 1995 | 55 |
| 1996 | 43 |
| 1997 | 44 |
| 1998 | 66 |
| 1999 | 56 |
| 2000 | 52 |
| 2001 | 72 |
| 2002 | 64 |
| 2003 | 60 |
| 2004 | 60 |
| 2005 | 75 |
| 2006 | 99 |
| 2007 | 108 |
| 2008 | 145 |
| 2009 | 166 |
| 2010 | 119 |
| 2011 | 147 |
| 2012 | 124 |
| 2013 | 125 |
| 2014 | 96 |
| 2015 | 122 |
| 2016 | 125 |
| 2017 | 137 |
| 2018 | 141 |
| 2019 | 156 |
| 2020 | 245 |
| 2021 | 281 |
| 2022 | 336 |
| 2023 | 296 |
| 2024 | 283 |
Kenji through the decades
- Kenji peaked in 2022, when 336 babies were named Kenji in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Kenji has risen 76% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Kenji currently ranks #855 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Ken
Variants & spellings
Kenzo