Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1959

Stan

Meaning A diminutive of the male given name Stanley Gender Boy Rank 2025 #10,534

A diminutive of the male given name Stanley.

Rank 2025
#10,534
among boys · ↓1,641 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
7
named Stan
How common
1 in 244,011
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1959
419 babies
All-time total
8,480
#1,330 all-time among boys
First recorded
1914
in Social Security records

Stan popularity over time

8,480 babies have been named Stan since 1914, 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
0.060.130.190.2518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1959Boys

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 Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 58 6 – #2,251
1920s 182 18 +214% #1,520
1930s 573 57 +215% #671
1940s 1,617 162 +182% #428
1950s 2,368 237 +46% #386
1960s 2,304 230 -3% #392
1970s 601 60 -74% #817
1980s 353 35 -41% #1,205
1990s 167 17 -53% #2,427
2000s 96 10 -43% #5,006
2010s 113 11 +18% #6,016
2020s (to 2025) 48 8 -29% #7,977

The story of Stan

Stan is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #10,534 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1914, 8,480 American babies have been named Stan. Its peak came in 1959, when 419 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

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

How old are people named Stan?

The median living Stan is about 65 years old; half are between 57 and 70. An estimated 5,900 people named Stan are alive in the United States today.

median 65 020406080100

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

Stan year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 7 #10,534
2024 9 #8,893
2023 6 #12,056
2022 6 #12,121
2021 10 #8,080
2020 10 #7,977
2019 10 #8,130
2018 12 #7,071
2017 11 #7,478
2016 15 #6,016
2015 13 #6,627
2014 12 #6,995
2013 9 #8,672
2012 12 #6,979
2011 5 #14,062
2010 14 #6,321
2009 6 #12,277
2008 8 #9,739
2007 5 #14,104
2006 8 #9,454
2005 8 #8,978
2004 11 #6,916
2003 12 #6,201
2002 14 #5,359
2001 9 #7,430
2000 15 #5,006
1995 14 #4,474
1990 29 #2,427
1985 30 #1,965
1980 42 #1,491
1975 54 #1,158
1970 99 #817
1965 194 #550
1960 406 #392
1955 223 #493
1950 145 #562
1945 155 #482
1940 81 #675
1935 59 #813
1930 32 #1,276
1925 19 #1,860
1920 8 #3,464
1915 8 #3,040
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Stan

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

  1. 1 Stan Lee Stan Lee American comic book writer (1922–2018) Contemporary
  2. 2 Stan Wawrinka Stan Wawrinka Swiss tennis player (born 1985) Contemporary
  3. 3 Stan Musial Stan Musial American baseball player (1920–2013) Contemporary
  4. 4 Stan Getz Stan Getz American jazz saxophonist (1927–1991) Contemporary
  5. 5 Stan Collymore Stan Collymore English footballer (born 1971) Contemporary
  6. 6 Stan Van Gundy Stan Van Gundy American basketball coach and analyst b. 1959 · Contemporary
  7. 7 Stan Smith Stan Smith American tennis player (born 1946) Contemporary
  8. 8 Stan Winston Stan Winston American special effects artist (1946–2008) Contemporary
  9. 9 Stan Mikita Stan Mikita Slovak-Canadian ice hockey player (1940–2018) Contemporary
  10. 10 Stan Kenton Stan Kenton American popular and jazz pianist (1911–1979) Contemporary
  11. 11 Stan Brakhage Stan Brakhage American filmmaker and writer (1933–2003) Contemporary
  12. 12 Stan Bush Stan Bush American singer-songwriter and musician b. 1953 · Contemporary
  13. 13 Stan Mortensen Stan Mortensen English footballer and football manager (1921–1991) Contemporary
  14. 14 Stan Lazaridis Australian soccer player (born 1972) Contemporary
  15. 15 Stan Cullis Stan Cullis English footballer and manager (1916–2001) Contemporary
  16. 16 Stan Anderson English footballer and manager (1933–2018) Contemporary
  17. 17 Stan Valckx Stan Valckx Dutch former professional footballer (born 1963) Contemporary
  18. 18 Stan Ockers Stan Ockers Belgian cyclist (1920–1956) Contemporary
  19. 19 Stan Rowley Australian sprinter 1876–1924 · 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Stan?

The median living Stan is about 65 years old. Half of all living Stans are between 57 and 70 years old.

How many people named Stan are alive today?

An estimated 5,900 people named Stan are alive in the United States, based on 8,480 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Stan mean?

A diminutive of the male given name Stanley.

How popular is the name Stan in 2025?

Stan ranked #10,534 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 Stan?

8,480 babies have been named Stan in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Stan most popular?

Stan peaked in 1959, when 419 newborns received the name.

Is Stan a boy or girl name?

Stan is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Stan rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Stan?

Well-known people named Stan include Stan Lee (comic artist), Stan Wawrinka (tennis player), Stan Musial (baseball player).

Names like Stan

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

Compare Stan with similar names → More names starting with S →