Total births
2,530
Unisex name · since 1881
Nana
2,530 babies named Nana in U.S. Social Security records since 1881, with the highest year being 2000. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #7605
- among girls today
- 2,530
- born since 1881
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 57%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Nana is the #7605 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 2,530 recorded since 1881.
Nana has 2,530 recorded births among girls since 1881, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #7605 as of the latest data, more common than 57% of girls, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #7605 among girls today
- 2,530 born since 1881
- 2000s peak decade
- 57% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nana is currently the #7605 unisex name in America, more common than 57% of girls - 2,530 born since 1881, peaking in the 2000s.
- #7605
- among girls today
- 2,530
- born since 1881
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 57%
- more common than other girls
Nana vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#7605
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 57% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
14% of everyone ever named Nana was born in this single decade.
2000
Single peak year
47 babies were named Nana in 2000 - its busiest year on record.
How Nana compares
2,530 Top 19% higher than 81% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Nana's all-time total is 7x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nana | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,530 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 47 | 48 | 19,840 |
Nana's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Nana's full recorded timeline at 1955, 59% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 41% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1883, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2000 peak of 47 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Nana at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2000
Current rank
#7,605
Active since
1881
Nana popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (2000)
- 47
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Nana popularity over time - boys
866 total births recorded since 1972 (Nana as boys' name)
Nana by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Nana's strongest decade.
345 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 14% of all-time use.
Nana births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 49
1880s
49 births
- 1890s 85
1890s
85 births
- 1900s 53
1900s
53 births
- 1910s
1910s
174 births
- 1920s
1920s
205 births
- 1930s
1930s
182 births
- 1940s
1940s
202 births
- 1950s
1950s
172 births
- 1960s 108
1960s
108 births
- 1970s
1970s
170 births
- 1980s
1980s
192 births
- 1990s
1990s
269 births
- 2000s
2000s
345 births
- 2010s
2010s
219 births
- 2020s 105
2020s
105 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 345 births (14% of all-time use).
How Nana compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Nana's total volume
Nana vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Nana by state
Where Nana concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 242 | 9.6% |
| #2 | California | | 69 | 2.7% |
| #3 | Maryland | | 21 | 0.8% |
| #4 | Virginia | | 13 | 0.5% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 11 | 0.4% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 11 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Texas | | 10 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.2% |
New York share of Nana's total US births 9.6%
Even split
242 of 2,530 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nana? ▼
Nana has been given to 2,530 babies in the U.S. since 1881, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #7605 as of the latest data. 47 babies were born in 2000, its single highest year.
When was Nana most popular? ▼
Nana was most popular in the 2000s decade with 345 total births. The single peak year was 2000.
Where is Nana most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nana are New York (242 births), California (69 births), Maryland (21 births).
Is Nana a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Nana is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 2,530 births, and as a boy's name it has 866 births.
How long has the name Nana been used? ▼
Nana has been recorded in Social Security data since 1881, spanning 145 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Nana? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nancy, Nannie, Nanette, Nan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Nana's data
- Nana's decade-level peak was the 2000s (345 total births); usage has since declined to 105 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Nanas (242 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 Nana
Nearby Names Like Nana
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nana
Nancy Girl
#914 1,004,448 births
Nannie Girl
25,560 births
Nanette Girl
16,894 births
Nan Girl
10,274 births
Nanci Girl
6,474 births
Compare Nana side by side: Nana vs Nancy Nana vs Nannie Nana vs Nanette
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nana
Lauretta #7604
9,710 births · Peak 1915
Claribel #7606
2,977 births · Peak 1984
Leda #7603
3,448 births · Peak 1920
Maebelle #7607
1,218 births · Peak 1917
Mathilde #7602
1,793 births · Peak 1894
Lala #7608
1,778 births · Peak 1921
Henry #7601
4,619 births · Peak 1925
Olivette #7609
788 births · Peak 1920
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nana: #7605 Unisex Name - 2,530 Births, Peak 2000." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nana. 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 Nana 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 June 2026.