Total births
784
Boys' name · since 1885
Hannibal
Since 1885, U.S. Social Security records show 784 babies named Hannibal, peaking in 2015. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #8332
- among boys today
- 784
- born since 1885
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Hannibal currently ranks #8332 among boys' names in America, with 784 babies recorded since 1885.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Hannibal has been recorded 784 times among boys since 1885, currently ranked #8332 nationally and more common than 42% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1885 to 2025.
- #8332 among boys today
- 784 born since 1885
- 2010s peak decade
- 42% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Hannibal is currently the #8332 boys' name in America, more common than 42% of boys - 784 born since 1885, peaking in the 2010s.
- #8332
- among boys today
- 784
- born since 1885
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Hannibal vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8332
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 42% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Hannibal was born in this single decade.
2015
Single peak year
19 babies were named Hannibal in 2015 - its busiest year on record.
How Hannibal compares
784 Top 35% higher than 65% 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
Hannibal's all-time total is 114% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Hannibal | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 784 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 19 | 23 | 22,252 |
Hannibal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Hannibal splits its recorded history at 1980: 60% of all births land in the more recent half, 40% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1885 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2015 peak of 19 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Hannibal at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2015
Current rank
#8,332
Active since
1885
Hannibal popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1885–2025
- Peak year (2015)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 141 years of records
Hannibal by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Hannibal's strongest decade.
137 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Hannibal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 40
1910s
40 births
- 1920s
1920s
68 births
- 1930s 31
1930s
31 births
- 1940s 13
1940s
13 births
- 1950s 15
1950s
15 births
- 1960s 44
1960s
44 births
- 1970s
1970s
88 births
- 1980s
1980s
128 births
- 1990s
1990s
84 births
- 2000s
2000s
63 births
- 2010s
2010s
137 births
- 2020s
2020s
58 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 137 births (17% of all-time use).
How Hannibal 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 Hannibal's total volume
Hannibal vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Hannibal by state
Where Hannibal concentrates geographically, total births since 1885
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 10 | 1.3% |
| #2 | California | | 5 | 0.6% |
New York share of Hannibal's total US births 1.3%
Even split
10 of 784 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Hannibal? ▼
Hannibal has been given to 784 babies in the U.S. since 1885, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #8332 as of the latest data. 19 babies were born in 2015, its single highest year.
When was Hannibal most popular? ▼
Hannibal was most popular in the 2010s decade with 137 total births. The single peak year was 2015.
Where is Hannibal most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Hannibal are New York (10 births), California (5 births).
How long has the name Hannibal been used? ▼
Records for Hannibal go back to 1885, giving 141 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Hannibal? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Hank, Hans, Hansel, Hanson, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Hannibal's data
- Hannibal's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (137 total births) through the 2020s (58) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Hannibals (10 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Hannibal
Nearby Names Like Hannibal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Hannibal
Hank Boy
#425 16,984 births
Hans Boy
#1324 15,677 births
Hansel Boy
#1662 3,631 births
Hanson Boy
#2840 1,839 births
Hansen Boy
#3350 887 births
Compare Hannibal side by side: Hannibal vs Hank Hannibal vs Hans Hannibal vs Hansel
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Hannibal
Laverne #8331
13,246 births · Peak 1928
Fuller #8333
475 births · Peak 2025
Epifanio #8330
1,997 births · Peak 1930
Grafton #8334
1,080 births · Peak 1916
Clemens #8329
1,641 births · Peak 1918
Arnie #8335
2,088 births · Peak 1960
Alphonsus #8328
454 births · Peak 1917
Johny #8336
3,571 births · Peak 1929
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, 1885–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Hannibal: #8332 Boys' Name - 784 Births, Peak 2015." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/hannibal. 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 Hannibal 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.