Kenji
Kenji is a boys' name of Japanese origin meaning “strong and vigorous second son; wise peace.” It ranked #943 in the United States in 2025. A Japanese given name commonly written as 健二 (strong second son) or 賢二 (wise second son) or 健司 (strong official).
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how do you pronounce Kenji?
KEN-jee
where does the name Kenji come from?
A masculine Japanese name whose meaning depends on its characters; a common form, 健二, joins ken, healthy or strong, with ji, second son.
It is a classic and widely used Japanese name that has gained some international recognition through Japanese culture exports.
how popular is this name?
Kenji has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 8 years since 1978, and fell outside it for 40. It peaked at #749 in 1978, and ranked #943 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #943 |
| 2024 | #854 |
| 2023 | #827 |
| 2022 | #754 |
| 2021 | #845 |
| 2020 | #910 |
| 1978 | #749 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Kenji fell outside the top 1,000.
who are famous people named Kenji?
- Kenji Mizoguchi (filmmaker)
- Kenji Watanabe (Pokémon designer)
what are the nicknames and variants of Kenji?
Nicknames
what names go well with Kenji?
Sibling names that share Kenji's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Kenji
What does the name Kenji mean?
Kenji means “strong and vigorous second son; wise peace”.
What is the origin of the name Kenji?
Kenji comes from the Japanese naming tradition.
How popular is the name Kenji?
Kenji ranked #943 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 1978, at #749, and it has spent 8 years in the top 1,000 since 1978.
Is Kenji a boy or girl name?
Kenji is primarily a boys' name.
How do you pronounce Kenji?
Kenji is pronounced KEN-jee, with 2 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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