Boy Old Testament Known
Canaan
merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues
כְּנַ֫עַן
Canaan (Hebrew: כְּנַ֫עַן) means “merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 14 verses across 2 books of the Bible. In 2025 it was given to 218 children in the United States. Use is falling away. Around 6,167 Americans have been given it since 1880. Appears with Cush in 1 Chronicles 1.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Canaan
father of Sidon; son of Ham; father of Heth
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 14 across 2 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Patriarchal
Using it today
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 218 | Falling |
| All-time total | 6,167 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 385 in 2016 | Its highest year on record |
| Strongest state | TX | Highest share relative to births |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Genesis 9:18 |
| Last appears | 1 Chronicles 1:13 |
| Cross-references | 234 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Arkites attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Ham.
- Philistine attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Ham.
- Put attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Ham.
- Naphtuhim attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Ham.
- Cush attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Ham.
- Pathrusim attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Ham.
- Put co-occurrence Appears with Put in 1 Chronicles 1.
- Sidon co-occurrence Appears with Sidon in 1 Chronicles 1.
Origin & meaning
Canaan, the son of Ham, was the father of Sidon, Heth, and other Canaanite tribes.
The biblical story
Canaan was the fourth son of Ham and the grandson of Noah (Gen. 9:18, 22; 10:6; 1 Chr. 1:8). He became the progenitor of the Canaanite tribes, which inhabited the land that would later be promised to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 10:15-19; 1 Chr. 1:13-16). Canaan's sons included Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth, the ancestor of the Hittites. Other descendants of Canaan included the Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. After Noah's drunkenness, Ham saw his father's nakedness and told his brothers (Gen. 9:22). In response, Noah cursed Canaan, stating that he would be a servant to his brothers (Gen. 9:25-27). This curse was likely a prophetic declaration about the future subjugation of the Canaanite tribes by the Israelites. The land of Canaan became synonymous with the region God promised to Abraham, and the Canaanites were among the inhabitants the Israelites were to displace and conquer (Gen. 12:5-7; Ex. 3:8; Deut. 7:1-3).
Key verses
Canaan appears in 9 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
Genesis 9:18 -
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
Genesis 9:22 -
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
Genesis 9:25 -
And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
Genesis 9:26 -
God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
Genesis 9:27
Show all 9 references
Genesis (7)
- Genesis 9:18
- Genesis 9:22
- Genesis 9:25
- Genesis 9:26
- Genesis 9:27
- Genesis 10:6
- Genesis 10:15
1 Chronicles (2)
- 1 Chronicles 1:8
- 1 Chronicles 1:13