Cain

Cain - A very unique male name

Cain appeared on the charts for the first time in 1971 on position #1661. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Cain and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Cain? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Cain. The baby boy name Cain was given to 129 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1157 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 11,367 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Cain peaked in popularity 11 years ago in 2015 on position 730.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Cain, 1-5?

Cain is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Cain is currently topping the baby name charts in Louisiana at position #597 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,602.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Cain is where you live.

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Cain origin and meaning

Hebrew

Uncertain — Genesis itself links Cain (Qayin) to qanah, 'acquired' ('I have acquired a man'), but scholars also connect it to a word for a smith or metalworker; neither derivation is settled

Cain is the first child in the Bible — Adam and Eve's elder son, who killed his brother Abel and was marked and exiled. The name itself is ancient Hebrew, and the Bible's own wordplay ties it to 'acquired,' though a 'smith' origin is also argued. Despite the story, Cain has been used as an American name since 1971 and peaked in 2015, usually chosen for its sharp one-syllable sound or as a surname-style name.

Origin uncertain

Cain is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Cain, pop culture references for the name Cain and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Cain

We've found the following names that sound similar to Cain, sorted by popularity.

Cohen / Chaim / Cason / Cannon / Casen / Cayson / Connie / Canaan / Coen / Cassian /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Cain

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Cain a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Cain?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

KAYN · /keɪn/

Around the world

• Qayin (Hebrew) — The original Hebrew form of the name

Spellings and nicknames

• Kane — A respelling with Irish surname roots of its own — a separate established name
• Caine — A rarer respelling

Famous bearers

• Cain — Firstborn son of Adam and Eve in Genesis, who killed his brother Abel and was exiled with a mark (Biblical) Historical

Style

Biblical

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Cain for a brief, strong biblical-era sound, usually weighing the name's edge as part of its appeal.

Worth knowing

• The dominant association is unavoidable: Cain is the Bible's first murderer, and the 'mark of Cain' follows the name everywhere