Boy nameCurrently #64 in the USSteady
Nolan
NOH-lun//ˈnoʊlən//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20155 lettersStarts with N
Meaning & origin
Descendant of the noble one, or little famous one
Nolan comes from the Irish surname Ó Nualláin, often glossed as 'descendant of the famous one' or 'little noble one'. Its clean, modern sound made it a popular boys' choice from the 2000s onward.
Nolan's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Nolan |
|---|---|
| 1881 | 5 |
| 1884 | 7 |
| 1886 | 5 |
| 1887 | 9 |
| 1889 | 5 |
| 1892 | 10 |
| 1893 | 9 |
| 1894 | 12 |
| 1895 | 8 |
| 1896 | 9 |
| 1897 | 12 |
| 1898 | 5 |
| 1899 | 10 |
| 1900 | 16 |
| 1901 | 11 |
| 1902 | 15 |
| 1903 | 10 |
| 1904 | 18 |
| 1905 | 17 |
| 1906 | 20 |
| 1907 | 23 |
| 1908 | 16 |
| 1909 | 28 |
| 1910 | 31 |
| 1911 | 37 |
| 1912 | 62 |
| 1913 | 90 |
| 1914 | 108 |
| 1915 | 118 |
| 1916 | 157 |
| 1917 | 149 |
| 1918 | 132 |
| 1919 | 149 |
| 1920 | 157 |
| 1921 | 191 |
| 1922 | 183 |
| 1923 | 177 |
| 1924 | 164 |
| 1925 | 161 |
| 1926 | 173 |
| 1927 | 174 |
| 1928 | 157 |
| 1929 | 142 |
| 1930 | 180 |
| 1931 | 156 |
| 1932 | 190 |
| 1933 | 167 |
| 1934 | 189 |
| 1935 | 188 |
| 1936 | 166 |
| 1937 | 183 |
| 1938 | 198 |
| 1939 | 205 |
| 1940 | 221 |
| 1941 | 176 |
| 1942 | 192 |
| 1943 | 207 |
| 1944 | 207 |
| 1945 | 179 |
| 1946 | 192 |
| 1947 | 198 |
| 1948 | 218 |
| 1949 | 219 |
| 1950 | 215 |
| 1951 | 189 |
| 1952 | 214 |
| 1953 | 190 |
| 1954 | 203 |
| 1955 | 199 |
| 1956 | 198 |
| 1957 | 185 |
| 1958 | 182 |
| 1959 | 185 |
| 1960 | 166 |
| 1961 | 165 |
| 1962 | 141 |
| 1963 | 154 |
| 1964 | 164 |
| 1965 | 112 |
| 1966 | 161 |
| 1967 | 126 |
| 1968 | 146 |
| 1969 | 158 |
| 1970 | 180 |
| 1971 | 199 |
| 1972 | 145 |
| 1973 | 175 |
| 1974 | 167 |
| 1975 | 201 |
| 1976 | 202 |
| 1977 | 218 |
| 1978 | 257 |
| 1979 | 262 |
| 1980 | 329 |
| 1981 | 395 |
| 1982 | 423 |
| 1983 | 455 |
| 1984 | 520 |
| 1985 | 488 |
| 1986 | 487 |
| 1987 | 480 |
| 1988 | 516 |
| 1989 | 617 |
| 1990 | 852 |
| 1991 | 1,061 |
| 1992 | 1,164 |
| 1993 | 1,143 |
| 1994 | 1,117 |
| 1995 | 1,066 |
| 1996 | 1,113 |
| 1997 | 1,316 |
| 1998 | 1,365 |
| 1999 | 1,623 |
| 2000 | 2,026 |
| 2001 | 2,100 |
| 2002 | 2,240 |
| 2003 | 2,227 |
| 2004 | 2,508 |
| 2005 | 2,725 |
| 2006 | 2,847 |
| 2007 | 3,186 |
| 2008 | 3,160 |
| 2009 | 3,446 |
| 2010 | 3,701 |
| 2011 | 4,184 |
| 2012 | 4,438 |
| 2013 | 4,759 |
| 2014 | 5,230 |
| 2015 | 5,757 |
| 2016 | 5,657 |
| 2017 | 5,427 |
| 2018 | 5,657 |
| 2019 | 5,436 |
| 2020 | 5,226 |
| 2021 | 5,387 |
| 2022 | 4,951 |
| 2023 | 5,157 |
| 2024 | 4,916 |
Nolan through the decades
- Nolan peaked in 2015, when 5,757 babies were named Nolan in the US.
- The 2020s were Nolan's strongest decade, averaging 5,127 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Nolan has risen 42% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Nolan currently ranks #64 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Nolan
Variants & spellings
Nolann