Total births
586
Boys' name · since 1976
Tan
Tan has 586 recorded births since 1976 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1985 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 586
- total births
- 1976–2019
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
Tan sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 586 recorded since 1976.
Social Security Administration records show Tan recorded 586 times among boys since 1976, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1976 to 2019.
- 586 total births
- 1976–2019 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 34% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
586 boys have been named Tan since 1976, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2019.
- 586
- total births
- 1976–2019
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Tan was born in this single decade.
1985
Single peak year
29 babies were named Tan in 1985 - its busiest year on record.
Tan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Tan's full recorded timeline at 1995, 41% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 59% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1976, with just 6 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1985 peak of 29 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Tan at a glance
Last recorded 2019Peak year
1985
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1976
Tan popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1976–2019
- Peak year (1985)
- 29
- Annual births at peak, across 44 years of records
Tan popularity over time - girls
11 total births recorded since 1979 (Tan as girls' name)
Tan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Tan's strongest decade.
202 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Tan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 39
1970s
39 births
- 1980s
1980s
202 births
- 1990s
1990s
178 births
- 2000s
2000s
120 births
- 2010s 47
2010s
47 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 202 births (34% of all-time use).
How Tan 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 Tan's total volume
Tan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Tan by state
Where Tan concentrates geographically, total births since 1976
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 91 | 15.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 10 | 1.7% |
| #3 | Louisiana | | 5 | 0.9% |
California share of Tan's total US births 15.5%
Even split
91 of 586 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tan? ▼
586 babies have been named Tan since 1976. It was last recorded in 2019. The peak year was 1985 with 29 births.
When was Tan most popular? ▼
Tan was most popular in the 1980s decade with 202 total births. The single peak year was 1985.
Where is Tan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Tan are California (91 births), Texas (10 births), Louisiana (5 births).
How long has the name Tan been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Tan since 1976 -- 44 years through the most recent 2019 data.
What names are similar to Tan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Tanner, Tandy, Taner, Tanay, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Tan's data
- Tan's decade-level peak was the 1980s (202 total births); usage has since declined to 47 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Tans (91 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 Tan
Nearby Names Like Tan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tan
Tanner Boy
#443 97,625 births
Tandy Boy
714 births
Taner Boy
579 births
Tanay Boy
#8029 573 births
Tanis Boy
#11092 535 births
Compare Tan side by side: Tan vs Tanner Tan vs Tandy Tan vs Taner
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1976–2019 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tan: Baby Name Since 1976 - 586 Births, Peak 1985." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tan. 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 Tan 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.