Kenan

Kenan is a masculine given name and, less commonly, a surname. It is used across various cultures, notably in Turkish communities and among Hebrew, Jewish, and Arab-speaking populations, reflecting its biblical origin in the Hebrew Bible.

In the Hebrew Bible, Kenan (also rendered Cainan) appears in Genesis 5 as the son of Enosh and the grandfather of Mahalalel, placing him in the antediluvian genealogies between Adam and Noah.

The meaning of the name is uncertain; it is often linked to the Hebrew root QN, meaning to acquire or possess, but there is no consensus on a definitive etymology.

Notable people named Kenan include Kenan Thompson, an American actor and comedian who has been a longtime cast member of Saturday Night Live since 2003; Kenan Evren, a Turkish general and statesman who served as President of Turkey after the 1980 coup; and Kenan İmirzalıoğlu, a Turkish actor and former model. The name is also used as a surname in some families, and it appears in various transliterations, such as Cainan or Kainan, depending on language and script.