Boys' name · since 1913
Nicanor
Nicanor has 787 recorded births since 1913 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1982 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #5,963 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 787
- born since 1913
- 1980s
- peak decade
Nicanor sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 787 recorded since 1913.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nicanor has been recorded 787 times among boys since 1913, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, 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 1913 to 2023.
- #5,963 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 787 born since 1913
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nicanor ranks #5,963 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 787 born since 1913, peaking in the 1980s.
- #5,963 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 787
- born since 1913
- 1980s
- peak decade
Nicanor's 787 recorded births place it above 86.88% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Texas.
Nicanor's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Nicanor's full recorded timeline at 1975, 60% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 40% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1913, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1982 peak of 20 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Nicanor popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–2023
- Peak year (1982)
- 20
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Nicanor by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (117 births, 15% of the file).
1980s was Nicanor's strongest decade.
117 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Nicanor births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 18
1910s
18 births
- 1920s 41
1920s
41 births
- 1930s 33
1930s
33 births
- 1940s
1940s
48 births
- 1950s
1950s
57 births
- 1960s
1960s
73 births
- 1970s
1970s
94 births
- 1980s
1980s
117 births
- 1990s
1990s
110 births
- 2000s
2000s
111 births
- 2010s
2010s
54 births
- 2020s 31
2020s
31 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 117 births (15% of all-time use).
How Nicanor 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 Nicanor's total volume
Nicanor by state
Where Nicanor concentrates geographically, total births since 1913
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 63 | 8.0% |
| #2 | California | | 49 | 6.2% |
63 of 787 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nicanor? ▼
Where does Nicanor sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Nicanor most popular? ▼
Where is Nicanor most popular? ▼
How long has the name Nicanor been used? ▼
What names are similar to Nicanor? ▼
What to do with Nicanor's data
- Nicanor's decade-level peak was the 1980s (117 total births); usage has since declined to 31 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Nicanors (63 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Nicanor
Nearby Names Like Nicanor
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nicanor
Compare Nicanor side by side: Nicanor vs Nicholas Nicanor vs Nicolas Nicanor vs Nick
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Nicanor: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1982)
Similar record span (~110 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1913–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Nicanor 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 August 2026.