Canice: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Canice is an Irish boy's name meaning “fair one.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Meaning
- Fair one
- Gender
- Boy
- English forms
- Kenneth, Kenny
How do you pronounce Canice?
Canice is pronounced CAN-iss. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. It can also be said KO-in-ock. Other spellings: Coinneach.
What does Canice mean?
Canice is the English form of the Irish name Cainneach, later Coinneach. It is linked to the Old Irish word caín, “handsome, beautiful, good,” and Patrick Woulfe (1923) glosses it “fair one.” In Scotland, the name Coinneach is often anglicised as Kenneth.
St. Canice, also called Cainnech of Aghaboe (c. 515–600), was born near Dungiven in Ulster, studied at Clonard and Glasnevin, and was ordained a priest in Wales. He later worked in Scotland alongside St. Columba, and Aghaboe became his main monastery. Kilkenny, Cill Chainnigh, means “church of Cainnech,” and he is its patron saint.
Sources: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name, Wikipedia, en.wiktionary.org.
How popular is Canice in Ireland?
Canice wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2015, when 3 baby boys got the name. It was most popular in 1969, when 7 baby boys were named Canice, No. 216 that year. The records go back to 1964, when 3 baby boys were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 3 | No. 699 |
| 2013 | 3 | No. 711 |
| 2010 | 4 | No. 611 |
| 1992 | 5 | No. 267 |
| 1986 | 3 | No. 317 |
| 1980 | 3 | No. 321 |
| 1979 | 5 | No. 269 |
| 1977 | 4 | No. 293 |
| 1973 | 3 | No. 320 |
| 1972 | 4 | No. 279 |
| 1971 | 6 | No. 242 |
| 1970 | 3 | No. 305 |
| 1969 | 7 | No. 216 |
| 1968 | 3 | No. 267 |
| 1967 | 3 | No. 265 |
| 1966 | 3 | No. 256 |
| 1965 | 4 | No. 222 |
| 1964 | 3 | No. 232 |
Canice in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Canice, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- AAilm, pine
- NNion, ash
- IIodhadh, yew
- CColl, hazel
- EEadhadh, aspen
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Canice
Questions about Canice
- How do you pronounce Canice?
- Canice is pronounced CAN-iss, with two syllables and the stress on the first. It can also be said KO-in-ock.
- What does Canice mean?
- Canice is an Irish boy's name meaning “fair one.”
- Is Canice a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Canice is a boy's name.
- What is Canice in English?
- The English forms of Canice are Kenneth and Kenny.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA50 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name, Wikipedia and en.wiktionary.org. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com