Kandi

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAN-dee /ˈkæn.di/High

Meaning: Kandi is a K-spelled form of Candy, the affectionate short form of Candace -- a name from the ancient title of the queens of Kush (Ethiopia), recorded in the New Testament. Read another way, Kandi simply evokes the sweet word 'candy'.Low

In 30 seconds: Kandi is Candy with a K (said 'KAN-dee'), a pet form of Candace and a nod to the sweet word. It peaked at the start of the eighties.

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowEnglish

MeaningKandi is a K-spelled form of Candy, the affectionate short form of Candace -- a name from the ancient title of the queens of Kush (Ethiopia), recorded in the New Testament. Read another way, Kandi simply evokes the sweet word 'candy'.

U.S. rank (2018)#16839 ↗ Rising

2018 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1981

Total births (all-time)≈ 5,547

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kandi began as a diminutive of Candace, the title borne by the queens of ancient Kush and mentioned in the Book of Acts. Given straight as a first name, and spelled with a K, it doubled as the cheerful word 'candy' -- exactly the kind of sweet, informal name mid-century American parents embraced.

A girl named Kandi at its 1981 peak is now in her forties. The spelling reads as bubbly and retro; singer Kandi Burruss of the group Xscape has kept it in view, and it sits naturally beside Mandy, Randi and Candy.

Did you know? Candy and its respellings were popular as stand-alone names in the sixties and seventies; Kandi carried the trend into the eighties and reached its high point in 1981.

Overall data confidence 55%

References -- Kandi — Spelling of Candy, pet form of Candace (royal title)

Variations

CandyKandyCandi

Nicknames

KanKandy

Famous Bearers

★Kandi Burruss (1976--present)
American singer and songwriter, a member of the R&B group Xscape and a television personality.

If you like Kandi…

Candy— the base pet name Kandi respells

Candace— the formal name behind the diminutive

Mandy— a like -y diminutive-name of the era

Brandi— a same-era playful -i ending girl's name

Explore names like Kandi

By themerespelling diminutive queen retro 1980s new-testament

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kandi mean?

Kandi is a spelling of Candy, a short form of Candace, an ancient royal title; it also echoes the word 'candy'.

How do you pronounce Kandi?

It's said KAN-dee /ˈkæn.di/ -- two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Kandi a boy or girl name?

Kandi is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Kandi?

Kandi was a playful choice that peaked in the early eighties and has been uncommon since.