Kaz
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Meaning
the Polonia short of Kazimierz (Casimir, traditionally 'proclaimer of peace'); one syllable that carries a very Polish name lightly in English, and long used as a standalone name in Polish-American families
One Kaz, two histories
Kazimierz · Kaz is also an established short form of Kazimierz.
Kazuo · Kaz is also an established short form of Kazuo.
The story
Kaz is short enough to cross borders, but its full story depends on the family. On this page it belongs to the Polish-American tradition as a clipped form of Kazimierz, the Polish form of Casimir and a name borne by several Polish kings. Polish itself more commonly uses forms such as Kazik or Kazio, while English-speaking families can trim the opening sound all the way to Kaz. The deeper Slavic roots of Kazimierz are debated and are sometimes translated in opposite ways, so a tidy slogan such as proclaimer of peace should be treated cautiously. Kaz can also arise independently from Japanese names beginning Kazu, including Kazuo and Kazuki, where the meaning depends on the kanji. The US curve is only a trace in the 2020s. That scarcity is part of its appeal: one syllable, several possible family histories, and no need to pretend they are the same.
How popular is Kaz around the world?
In the United States, 248 babies were named Kaz between 2020 and 2025.
Kaz is on the official records of the United States.
United States
1 in 88,000
In the United States, 248 babies were named Kaz between 2020 and 2025.
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Kaz peaked in the 2020s.
Births with a Social Security record. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration
Canada
last on record 2023
Kaz is not on the 2024 record for Canada, where names under 5 in a year are excluded at source.
The count never rose above 9 in a year, too few to chart.
First given names from provincial and territorial vital statistics across Canada; any name-sex-year under 5 is excluded at source, and small Quebec counts carry a randomized adjustment made at source. Shares divide by Statistics Canada’s count of live births for the year; the 2024 count is preliminary. Source: Statistics Canada, first names at birth (table 17-10-0147-01)
England and Wales
last on record 2007
Kaz is not on the 2025 record for England and Wales, where spellings under 3 in a year are withheld at source.
The count never rose above 3 in a year, too few to chart.
Birth registrations in England and Wales (not the whole UK); exact spellings are counted separately, and any spelling under 3 in a year is withheld at source. Source: Office for National Statistics, baby names in England and Wales
South Australia
last on record 1986
Kaz is not on the 2017 record for South Australia, whose registry publishes every name given that year.
The count never rose above 1 in a year, too few to chart.
Births registered in South Australia (not all of Australia) by first name and year of registration, 1944–2017, from the state’s Births, Deaths and Marriages registry, which publishes every name down to a single birth in capitals; a spelling its export repeats inside a year is counted once, and from 2018 only a top 100 is published, so the series ends at 2017. Source: Consumer and Business Services (South Australia), popular baby names
Not on the record in Spain, Mexico City, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and Poland: those registries withhold small counts, so rare uses may sit below their floors.
Not on the Chile record: nametree keeps spellings that reached 5 registrations in some year, so rarer uses are not shown. Not on the Montevideo record for 1940 to 2011: that registry withholds nothing, so this spelling was not given there in those years. Not on the France record: nametree keeps spellings that reached 20 births in some year, so rarer uses are not shown. Not on the Austria record for 1984 to 2025: Statistik Austria publishes every first name down to a single birth, so this name was not given there in those years (before 2010 the record covers babies with Austrian citizenship only). Not on Norway’s list: Statistics Norway lists only first names carried by 200 or more living people, so rarer names are not shown.
When you meet Kaz
Most people given the name Kaz in the United States are children or teenagers today. The name belongs to this generation.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
Keep exploring
The Kaz deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Kaz truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Kaz fits with your family’s names and surname.
Does Kaz fit YOUR family?
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