Declining since 1986.
Popularity of Kandis since 1946
Babies named Kandis per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 88 |
| 1950s | 296 |
| 1960s | 256 |
| 1970s | 305 |
| 1980s | 1,021 |
| 1990s | 465 |
| 2000s | 222 |
| 2010s | 74 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Kandis first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1946, a time when names beginning with 'K' were gaining popularity. It reached its peak usage in 1987, with the highest number of births recorded that year. Since 1986, however, the name's trajectory has been falling, and by 2025 it was given to very few babies, not enough to calculate a one-in-N rate. While never a top-ranking name nationally, Kandis enjoyed modest usage throughout the 1980s. Its spelling is a distinctive twist on the more common Candace or Candice, reflecting a mid-century taste for phonetic and creative spellings.
Kandis is a name that first appeared in the United States in the mid-20th century. It is likely a spelling variant of Candace, which derives from the ancient Ethiopian royal title Kandake. However, the name may also be a blend of the popular 'K' initial with the suffix '-is', following naming trends of the 1940s and 1950s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kandi, Kandy, Kandie
Sibling names for Kandis
Names that share Kandis's style, for a brother or sister.
