Nan
A diminutive of the female given name Ann and Nancy.
Every Nan since 1880 — 10,274 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Nan Goldin Photographer · b. 1953
- Nan Geng Politician · -1500–-1409
- Naná Vasconcelos Singer · 1944–2016
- Nan Martin Actor · 1927–2010
- Nan Grey Actor · 1918–1993
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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 Geng (politician), Naná Vasconcelos (singer).