Total births
36
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.
- 36
- total births
- 1956–2013
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 53%
- born in that 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.
- 36 total births
- 1956–2013 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 53% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
36 boys have been named Than since 1956, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2013.
- 36
- total births
- 1956–2013
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 53%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
53% of everyone ever named Than was born in this single decade.
1986
Single peak year
8 babies were named Than in 1986 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 2013Peak year
1986
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1956
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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? ▼
36 babies have been named Than since 1956. It was last recorded in 2013. The peak year was 1986 with 8 births.
When was Than most popular? ▼
Than was most popular in the 1980s decade with 19 total births. The single peak year was 1986.
How long has the name Than been used? ▼
Than has been recorded in Social Security data since 1956, spanning 58 years of data through 2013.
What names are similar to Than? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Thaddeus, Thad, Thatcher, Thane, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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.
- 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 Than
Nearby Names Like Than
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Than
Thaddeus Boy
#852 26,057 births
Thad Boy
#12364 8,219 births
Thatcher Boy
#1040 4,955 births
Thane Boy
#2967 2,604 births
Thayne Boy
#6507 1,450 births
Compare Than side by side: Than vs Thaddeus Than vs Thad Than vs Thatcher
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1956–2013 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Than: Baby Name Since 1956 - 36 Births, Peak 1986." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/than. 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 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 July 2026.