Unisex · Sanskrit · Hindu
Kanan
काननSay it KAA-nun
- Meaning
- A forest, a grove Monier-Williams, p. 270
- Say it
- KAA-nun
- Written
- कानन
- Other spellings
- Kaanan
- First sound
- का · Mithun rashi
Kanan
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Kanan meaning
Kanan (कानन) is a Hindu unisex name of Sanskrit origin, used for both girls and boys. By its first sound, का, it is a Mithun rashi name (Mrigashira nakshatra) in the North Indian table.
A forest, a grove
Kanan (कानन) is the Sanskrit kānana, "a forest or grove", a word often paired with vana in poetry. Monier-Williams also notes a rare lexical sense, "house". Name lists give "forest" or "grove", matching the dictionary, and some connect it with Krishna's childhood in the woods of Vrindavan. The name is used for both girls and boys: in Bengal it has long been a girls' name, carried by the singing star Kanan Devi, while elsewhere it is also given to boys. Kananbala is an older Bengali form.
Source: Monier-Williams, Sanskrit–English Dictionary (1899), p. 270 · entry kānana · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Monier-Williams, kānana, p. 270 · Wikipedia, Kanan Devi
Famous namesakes
- Kanan Devi, Bengali film actress and singer
Fits your syllable
First sound का
Mrigashira nakshatra, pada 3 · Mithun rashi
North Indian table. Tables vary by region and family tradition, so confirm with your priest.
Spellings
Kanan · Kaanan