Meaning: Its source is a Hebrew expression meaning "Land of reeds."

Languages: This boy's name is used in scriptural writings.

Narrative: In the Jewish scriptures, this was the name of a grandson of Noah, who gave his name to a region of present-day Palestine. This was the ''Promised Land'' that God bequeathed to the Jews after their long captivity in Egypt.

In Christian imagery, Canaan often stands for heaven. By extension, Canaan can stand for any hoped-for end, and African-American slaves sometimes used it in their spritual hymns to symbolize freedom from bondage.