Chance
A male given name from English, an American pet form of Chauncey, in modern usage also associated with the word chance.
Every Chance since 1883 — 56,010 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Chance
Chance is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #442 in 2025 with 711 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1883, 56,010 American babies have been named Chance. Its peak came in 1996, when 2,293 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Chance stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Chance 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 | 22 | #5,593 | 711 | #442 |
| 2024 | 28 | #4,794 | 762 | #418 |
| 2023 | 27 | #4,898 | 853 | #377 |
| 2022 | 23 | #5,500 | 985 | #340 |
| 2021 | 35 | #4,115 | 1,035 | #322 |
| 2020 | 20 | #5,904 | 1,202 | #279 |
| 2019 | 30 | #4,565 | 1,214 | #284 |
| 2018 | 36 | #4,018 | 1,321 | #270 |
| 2017 | 27 | #4,953 | 1,347 | #268 |
| 2016 | 33 | #4,362 | 1,347 | #272 |
| 2015 | 29 | #4,751 | 1,467 | #250 |
| 2014 | 34 | #4,286 | 1,534 | #244 |
| 2013 | 34 | #4,265 | 1,520 | #237 |
| 2012 | 30 | #4,738 | 1,513 | #238 |
| 2011 | 25 | #5,401 | 1,635 | #215 |
| 2010 | 27 | #5,137 | 1,440 | #244 |
| 2009 | 15 | #8,146 | 1,521 | #236 |
| 2008 | 28 | #5,172 | 1,403 | #251 |
| 2007 | 37 | #4,148 | 1,472 | #244 |
| 2006 | 42 | #3,683 | 1,269 | #274 |
| 2005 | 36 | #3,965 | 1,275 | #258 |
| 2004 | 50 | #3,083 | 1,321 | #250 |
| 2003 | 44 | #3,306 | 1,392 | #240 |
| 2002 | 29 | #4,296 | 1,450 | #233 |
| 2001 | 35 | #3,722 | 1,542 | #224 |
| 2000 | 31 | #4,002 | 1,694 | #212 |
| 1995 | 36 | #3,162 | 1,631 | #189 |
| 1990 | 22 | #4,399 | 794 | #316 |
| 1985 | 6 | #9,479 | 650 | #313 |
| 1980 | 12 | #5,590 | 207 | #605 |
| 1975 | 15 | #4,174 | 178 | #611 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,158 | 127 | #729 |
| 1965 | — | — | 36 | #1,278 |
| 1960 | — | — | 6 | #3,722 |
| 1955 | — | — | 5 | #3,961 |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | 5 | #3,917 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Chance
- Chance the Rapper Singer · b. 1993
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Chance mean?
A male given name from English, an American pet form of Chauncey, in modern usage also associated with the word chance.
How popular is the name Chance in 2025?
Chance ranked #442 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 711 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Chance?
56,010 babies have been named Chance in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Chance most popular?
Chance peaked in 1996, when 2,293 newborns received the name.
Is Chance a boy or girl name?
Chance is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Chance rising or falling?
Chance is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Chance?
Well-known people named Chance include Chance the Rapper (singer).