Boys' name · since 1956
Than
Since 1956, U.S. Social Security records show 36 babies named Than, peaking in 1986. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #24,594 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 36
- born since 1956
- 1980s
- peak decade
36 boys have been named Than since 1956, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Than recorded 36 times among boys since 1956, 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 1956 to 2013.
- #24,594 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 36 born since 1956
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Than ranks #24,594 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 36 born since 1956, peaking in the 1980s.
- #24,594 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 36
- born since 1956
- 1980s
- peak decade
Than's 36 recorded births place it above 45.88% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Than's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Than's full recorded timeline at 1986, 56% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 44% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1956, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1986 peak of 8 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Than popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1956–2013
- Peak year (1986)
- 8
- Annual births at peak, across 58 years of records
Than by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (19 births, 53% of the file).
1980s was Than's strongest decade.
19 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 53% of all-time use.
Than births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1980s
1980s
19 births
- 1990s 7
1990s
7 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 19 births (53% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Than? ▼
Where does Than sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Than most popular? ▼
How long has the name Than been used? ▼
What names are similar to Than? ▼
What to do with Than's data
- Than's decade-level peak was the 1980s (19 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Than
Nearby Names Like Than
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Than
Compare Than side by side: Than vs Thaddeus Than vs Thad Than vs Thatcher
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Than: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1986)
Similar record span (~57 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, 1956–2013 (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 Than 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.