Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1947

Nan

Meaning A diminutive of the female given name Ann and Nancy Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

A diminutive of the female given name Ann and Nancy.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Nan
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1947
255 babies
All-time total
10,274
#1,634 all-time among girls
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Nan popularity over time

10,274 babies have been named Nan since 1880, 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
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1889Girls

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 Per year Change Best rank
1880s 322 32 – #341
1890s 405 41 +26% #370
1900s 457 46 +13% #433
1910s 825 83 +81% #568
1920s 1,198 120 +45% #610
1930s 1,467 147 +22% #477
1940s 2,099 210 +43% #503
1950s 2,181 218 +4% #556
1960s 877 88 -60% #803
1970s 223 22 -75% #2,283
1980s 121 12 -46% #3,979
1990s 62 6 -49% #7,691
2000s 24 2 -61% #11,478
2010s 7 1 -71% #14,145
2020s (to 2025) 6 1 +43% #14,794

The story of Nan

Nan is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 10,274 American babies have been named Nan. Its peak came in 1947, when 255 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1940s.

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 Nan stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Nan?

The median living Nan is about 72 years old; half are between 65 and 79. An estimated 4,800 people named Nan are alive in the United States today.

median 72 020406080100

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

Nan year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 6 #14,794
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 7 #14,145
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 5 #17,992
2003 – –
2002 6 #14,870
2001 5 #17,159
2000 8 #11,478
1995 – –
1990 11 #7,691
1985 10 #6,793
1980 12 #5,786
1975 14 #4,511
1970 24 #2,908
1965 68 #1,334
1960 166 #803
1955 253 #575
1950 204 #592
1945 175 #556
1940 189 #503
1935 151 #524
1930 130 #609
1925 115 #686
1920 124 #648
1915 93 #688
1910 53 #568
1905 41 #542
1900 53 #464
1895 59 #370
1890 39 #408
1885 31 #370
1880 16 #431

Famous people named Nan

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

  1. 1 Nan Goldin Nan Goldin American photographer and activist b. 1953 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Nan Martin Nan Martin American actress (1927–2010) Contemporary
  3. 3 Naná Vasconcelos Naná Vasconcelos Brazilian musician (1944–2016) Contemporary
  4. 4 Nan Grey Nan Grey American actress (1918–1993) Contemporary
  5. 5 Nan Geng King of Shang dynasty -1500–-1409 · Antiquity

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Nan?

The median living Nan is about 72 years old. Half of all living Nans are between 65 and 79 years old.

How many people named Nan are alive today?

An estimated 4,800 people named Nan are alive in the United States, based on 10,274 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Nan mean?

A diminutive of the female given name Ann and Nancy.

How popular is the name Nan in 2025?

Nan did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Nan?

10,274 babies have been named Nan in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nan most popular?

Nan peaked in 1947, when 255 newborns received the name.

Is Nan a boy or girl name?

Nan is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Nan rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Nan?

Well-known people named Nan include Nan Goldin (photographer), Nan Martin (actor), Naná Vasconcelos (singer).

Names like Nan

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

Compare Nan with similar names → More names starting with N →