Total births
1,035
Unisex name · since 1919
Chan
Since 1919, U.S. Social Security records show 1,035 babies named Chan, peaking in 1986. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #11058
- among boys today
- 1,035
- born since 1919
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
1,035 babies have been named Chan since 1919, making it today's #11058 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Chan has been recorded 1,035 times among boys since 1919, currently ranked #11058 nationally and more common than 23% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1919 to 2025.
- #11058 among boys today
- 1,035 born since 1919
- 1980s peak decade
- 23% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Chan is currently the #11058 unisex name in America, more common than 23% of boys - 1,035 born since 1919, peaking in the 1980s.
- #11058
- among boys today
- 1,035
- born since 1919
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
Chan vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#11058
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 23% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Chan was born in this single decade.
1986
Single peak year
24 babies were named Chan in 1986 - its busiest year on record.
How Chan compares
1,035 Top 30% higher than 70% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Chan's all-time total is 182% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Chan | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,035 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 24 | 23 | 22,252 |
Chan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Chan splits its recorded history at 1980: 54% of all births land in the more recent half, 46% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1929 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1986 peak of 24 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Chan at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1986
Current rank
#11,058
Active since
1919
Chan popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1919–2025
- Peak year (1986)
- 24
- Annual births at peak, across 107 years of records
Chan popularity over time - girls
212 total births recorded since 1956 (Chan as girls' name)
Chan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Chan's strongest decade.
199 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Chan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 6
1910s
6 births
- 1920s 19
1920s
19 births
- 1930s 38
1930s
38 births
- 1940s 48
1940s
48 births
- 1950s
1950s
87 births
- 1960s
1960s
127 births
- 1970s
1970s
155 births
- 1980s
1980s
199 births
- 1990s
1990s
143 births
- 2000s
2000s
103 births
- 2010s
2010s
84 births
- 2020s 26
2020s
26 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 199 births (19% of all-time use).
How Chan compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Chan's total volume
Chan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Chan by state
Where Chan concentrates geographically, total births since 1919
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 88 | 8.5% |
| #2 | Kansas | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #3 | Texas | | 5 | 0.5% |
California share of Chan's total US births 8.5%
Even split
88 of 1,035 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Chan? ▼
Since 1919, Social Security records show 1,035 babies named Chan. Today it holds rank #11058 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1986, with 24 births.
When was Chan most popular? ▼
Chan was most popular in the 1980s decade with 199 total births. The single peak year was 1986.
Where is Chan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Chan are California (88 births), Kansas (5 births), Texas (5 births).
Is Chan a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Chan is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,035 births, and as a girl's name it has 212 births.
How long has the name Chan been used? ▼
Records for Chan go back to 1919, giving 107 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Chan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Charles, Chad, Charlie, Chase, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Chan's data
- Chan's decade-level peak was the 1980s (199 total births); usage has since declined to 26 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Chans (88 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Chan
Nearby Names Like Chan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Chan
Charles Boy
#51 2,434,659 births
Chad Boy
#1814 240,728 births
Charlie Boy
#176 184,280 births
Chase Boy
#173 181,160 births
Chance Boy
#418 54,622 births
Compare Chan side by side: Chan vs Charles Chan vs Chad Chan vs Charlie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Chan
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1919–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Chan: #11058 Unisex Name - 1,035 Births, Peak 1986." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/chan. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Chan draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.