Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1982

Chan

Gender Unisex · 17% girls Rank 2025 #9,885
Rank 2025
#9,885
among boys · ↑1,301 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
7
named Chan
How common
1 in 244,011
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1982
38 babies
All-time total
1,247
#5,025 all-time among boys
First recorded
1919
in Social Security records

Chan popularity over time

1,247 babies have been named Chan since 1919, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – 6 6 1 – #3,805
1920s – 19 19 2 +217% #3,409
1930s – 38 38 4 +100% #2,560
1940s – 48 48 5 +26% #2,429
1950s 21 87 108 11 +125% #1,853
1960s 5 127 132 13 +22% #1,779
1970s 15 155 170 17 +29% #1,854
1980s 116 199 315 32 +85% #2,214
1990s 43 143 186 19 -41% #2,973
2000s 12 103 115 12 -38% #4,508
2010s – 84 84 8 -27% #6,423
2020s (to 2025) – 26 26 4 -48% #9,144

The story of Chan

Chan is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,885 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1919, 1,247 American babies have been named Chan, about 83% boys and 17% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1982, when 38 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Chan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Chan?

The median living Chan is about 40 years old; half are between 30 and 53. An estimated 1,100 people named Chan are alive in the United States today.

median 40 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Chan year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 7 #9,885
2024 – – 6 #11,186
2023 – – – –
2022 – – 8 #9,144
2021 – – 5 #12,473
2020 – – – –
2019 – – 8 #9,045
2018 – – 11 #7,213
2017 – – 11 #7,179
2016 – – 13 #6,423
2015 – – 6 #10,913
2014 – – 7 #9,823
2013 – – 8 #8,934
2012 – – 7 #9,886
2011 – – 7 #9,793
2010 – – 6 #10,988
2009 – – 8 #9,124
2008 – – – –
2007 – – 11 #7,177
2006 – – 6 #10,894
2005 – – 9 #7,737
2004 – – 13 #5,865
2003 5 #16,252 16 #4,851
2002 – – 12 #5,782
2001 – – 17 #4,508
2000 7 #12,036 11 #5,976
1995 – – 12 #4,836
1990 11 #7,393 21 #2,973
1985 11 #6,084 22 #2,365
1980 6 #9,263 16 #2,850
1975 5 #9,280 17 #2,458
1970 – – 23 #1,854
1965 – – 20 #1,779
1960 – – 8 #3,129
1955 – – 18 #1,853
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – 9 #2,560
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Chan

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Chan Santokhi Chan Santokhi President of Suriname from 2020 to 2025 b. 1959 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Chan Hao-ching Chan Hao-ching Taiwanese tennis player (born 1993) Contemporary
  3. 3 Chan Yuen Ting Chan Yuen Ting Chinese football player and coach in Hong Kong b. 1988 · Contemporary
  4. 4 Chan Chin-wei Chan Chin-wei Taiwanese tennis player b. 1985 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Chan, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Chan?

The median living Chan is about 40 years old. Half of all living Chans are between 30 and 53 years old.

How many people named Chan are alive today?

An estimated 1,100 people named Chan are alive in the United States, based on 1,247 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Chan in 2025?

Chan ranked #9,885 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Chan?

1,247 babies have been named Chan in the United States since 1919, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Chan most popular?

Chan peaked in 1982, when 38 newborns received the name.

Is Chan a boy or girl name?

Chan is used for both: about 17% of babies named Chan have been girls and 83% boys.

Is the name Chan rising or falling?

Chan is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Chan?

Well-known people named Chan include Chan Santokhi (politician), Chan Hao-ching (tennis player), Chan Yuen Ting (soccer player).

Names like Chan

Names that sound and feel close to Chan: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Chan with similar names → More names starting with C →