Kenji
Below 5 births
2025 SSA
About Kenji
A international feeling name of Japanese origin that could be used to refer to a child's place in the family, Kenji has attracted notice in the US as the name of The Food Lab chef, James Kenji López-Alt, know simply as Kenji. It appeared in the latter end of the US Top 1000 in 2023.
As with a number of Japanese names, Kenji has multiple meanings. It can refer to a second son, as ji means "two", however the first syllable, ken can mean "study, sharpen", "healthy, strong", "modest", and "research".
Kenji is also given to girls.
Pronounced KEN-jee.
As of October 2026, Kenji ranked #14485 in US births in 2009 SSA, peaked at #7746 in 1980.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,620 | 96 | 50 |
| 2015 | #1,409 | 122 | 63.6 |
| 2016 | #1,407 | 125 | 65.9 |
| 2017 | #1,318 | 137 | 74 |
| 2018 | #1,296 | 141 | 77.6 |
| 2019 | #1,222 | 156 | 86.9 |
| 2020 | #912 | 245 | 141.9 |
| 2021 | #847 | 281 | 160.6 |
| 2022 | #755 | 336 | 192.4 |
| 2023 | #827 | 296 | 173 |
| 2024 | #855 | 283 | 164.3 |
| 2025 | #944 | 249 | 145.8 |
World rankings
Kenji for boys
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Kenji on lists
Famous Kenjis
- Kenji ItoBoy
Japanese composer
- Kenji KawaiBoy
Japanese composer
- Kenji MizoguchiBoy
Japanese film director
- Kenji OgiwaraBoy
Japanese Olympic Nordic skier
- Kenji SatoBoy
Japanese pro baseball player
- Kenji JohjimaBoy
Japanese pro baseball player
- Kenji UedaBoy
Japanese rock musician
- Michael Kenji "Mike" ShinodaBoy
lead singer for American band Linkin Park
Kenji in pop culture
- Kenji KoisoBoy
character in "Summer Wars"
- "KenjiBoy
" manga by Matsuda Ryuchi
- "KenjiBoy
" song on Fort Minor's 2005 album The Rising Tied
- "Gyakuten Kenji or Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles EdgeworthBoy
" video game series
- Kenji KishimotoBoy
character in the "Shatter Me" trilogy by Tahereh Mafi.
- Kenji KonBoy
a character from the "Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous" TV series