Kenji
/ke̞ɲ.d͡ʑi/
Kenji is a Japanese masculine name combining one of several possible kanji characters for ken with ji (second son, or a suffix indicating a male name). Common kanji choices for ken include 健 (healthy, strong), 研 (study, sharpen), 謙 (humble, modest), and 賢 (wise, intelligent). The specific meaning depends entirely on which characters the family chooses to write the name - a Japanese naming convention that gives parents significant semantic freedom.
Kenji has been one of the most common Japanese masculine names across the 20th century, particularly for second sons (as the ji element often suggests "second" or simply marks masculinity). It sits in a large family of Japanese names ending in -ji including Benji, Koji, Ryoji, and Seiji.
In the United States, Kenji appears on SSA records among Japanese American families since at least the 1930s, predating the post-1965 immigration wave. Its presence in American naming reflects both Japanese American heritage use and, more recently, adoption by non-Japanese parents drawn to its sound and the positive meanings of its kanji options.
What the name Kenji means
Kenji has two syllables: KEN-jee. Clean and easy to pronounce in English, it carries the appealing combination of exotic visual identity and phonetic accessibility that makes Japanese names increasingly popular in American contexts.
Kenji ranked No. 851 in the United States in 2024 with approximately 359 births. It has been rising steadily since around 2015, alongside growing American interest in Japanese names and culture.
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Kenji
Kenji - similar names
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