Fun Facts About the Name Stan
- More than 8 thousand babies named Stan: U.S. records list 8,480 babies given the name Stan from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Stan Mean?
Stan is an English masculine name that is usually a short form of two different names: the English Stanley and the Slavic Stanislav (also Latinized as Stanislaus). From Stanley, it inherits the Old English elements stān, 'stone', and lēah, 'woodland, clearing, meadow', giving the literal sense 'stony clearing' or 'stone meadow'. From Stanislav, it inherits Slavic stan-, from a root meaning 'to stand' or 'to become', and slava, 'glory, fame'. That compound is often interpreted as 'one who achieves glory' or 'stand in glory', though some explanations take the first element as 'state, condition' or 'camp' rather than the verb 'to stand', so the exact nuance is uncertain. These are independent derivations, not one etymology with two meanings. The name is unrelated to the Persian and Urdu suffix -stān, 'land', seen in names such as Afghanistan.
Stan Name History & Origins
The English surname Stanley comes from place names such as Stanley in Derbyshire, recorded in Domesday Book (1086) as Stanlei, and Stanley in County Durham. The place name means 'stony clearing' or 'stone meadow' from Old English stān and lēah. The surname was borne by the Stanley family, who became Earls of Derby in the 15th century. By the 19th century, Stanley was also being used as a masculine given name in English-speaking countries, and Stan was used as its short form.
Stanislav is an old Slavic compound name. The name is associated with Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów (1030 - 1079), Bishop of Kraków and patron saint of Poland. Forms include Polish Stanisław, Czech and Slovak Stanislav, and Russian Станислав. In English, Stan is also used as a short form of these Slavic names.
By the 20th century, Stan appeared as a standalone given name in English-speaking countries, not only as a nickname. It is older than the slang use that grew from the 2000 song 'Stan' by Eminem, about an obsessive fan; that song gave English the verb 'to stan', but it did not create the given name or its short-form use.
How Popular is the Name Stan?
Stan recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1959. Its best rank was #386 in 1959.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,534 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #8,851 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #12,046 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #12,115 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #8,074 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #7,975 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #8,126 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #7,070 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2017 | #7,475 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2016 | #6,015 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #6,625 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #6,992 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #8,672 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #6,978 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #14,062 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #6,321 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2009 | #12,277 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #9,739 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #14,104 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2006 | #9,453 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #8,976 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #6,916 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2003 | #6,200 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #5,359 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #7,428 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #5,006 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #6,447 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1998 | #3,825 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1997 | #6,028 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #4,364 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1995 | #4,474 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #3,885 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1993 | #3,131 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1992 | #4,540 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1991 | #3,436 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1990 | #2,427 | 29 | 0.0014% |
| 1989 | #2,289 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1988 | #2,134 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1987 | #2,051 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1986 | #1,915 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1985 | #1,965 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1984 | #1,927 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1983 | #1,625 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1982 | #1,698 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 1981 | #1,205 | 58 | 0.0032% |
| 1980 | #1,490 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 1979 | #1,529 | 39 | 0.0023% |
| 1978 | #1,646 | 34 | 0.0021% |
| 1977 | #1,241 | 52 | 0.0032% |
| 1976 | #1,263 | 49 | 0.0031% |
| 1975 | #1,144 | 55 | 0.0035% |
| 1974 | #1,133 | 53 | 0.0034% |
| 1973 | #929 | 76 | 0.0049% |
| 1972 | #950 | 73 | 0.0045% |
| 1971 | #964 | 72 | 0.0041% |
| 1970 | #817 | 99 | 0.0053% |
| 1969 | #780 | 98 | 0.0055% |
| 1968 | #688 | 121 | 0.0070% |
| 1967 | #621 | 147 | 0.0084% |
| 1966 | #584 | 167 | 0.0094% |
| 1965 | #550 | 194 | 0.0104% |
| 1964 | #500 | 249 | 0.0125% |
| 1963 | #471 | 282 | 0.0139% |
| 1962 | #454 | 309 | 0.0149% |
| 1961 | #439 | 332 | 0.0156% |
| 1960 | #393 | 404 | 0.0190% |
| 1959 | #386 | 419 | 0.0196% |
| 1958 | #391 | 403 | 0.0190% |
| 1957 | #440 | 303 | 0.0140% |
| 1956 | #483 | 247 | 0.0117% |
| 1955 | #493 | 223 | 0.0108% |
| 1954 | #533 | 186 | 0.0091% |
| 1953 | #585 | 152 | 0.0077% |
| 1952 | #579 | 145 | 0.0075% |
| 1951 | #576 | 145 | 0.0077% |
| 1950 | #562 | 145 | 0.0081% |
| 1949 | #578 | 137 | 0.0077% |
| 1948 | #458 | 212 | 0.0121% |
| 1947 | #428 | 255 | 0.0139% |
| 1946 | #444 | 205 | 0.0126% |
| 1945 | #482 | 155 | 0.0115% |
| 1944 | #470 | 167 | 0.0123% |
| 1943 | #527 | 143 | 0.0100% |
| 1942 | #514 | 142 | 0.0103% |
| 1941 | #545 | 120 | 0.0098% |
| 1940 | #675 | 81 | 0.0070% |
| 1939 | #714 | 71 | 0.0064% |
| 1938 | #671 | 81 | 0.0073% |
| 1937 | #699 | 74 | 0.0069% |
| 1936 | #754 | 65 | 0.0063% |
| 1935 | #813 | 59 | 0.0057% |
| 1934 | #842 | 56 | 0.0054% |
| 1933 | #810 | 59 | 0.0060% |
| 1932 | #1,034 | 42 | 0.0040% |
| 1931 | #1,191 | 34 | 0.0033% |
| 1930 | #1,276 | 32 | 0.0029% |
| 1929 | #1,520 | 24 | 0.0022% |
| 1928 | #1,698 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1927 | #1,743 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1926 | #1,781 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1925 | #1,860 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1924 | #2,038 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1923 | #1,934 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1922 | #2,028 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1921 | #2,048 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1920 | #3,464 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #3,354 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1918 | #2,251 | 14 | 0.0014% |
| 1917 | #2,927 | 9 | 0.0010% |
| 1916 | #2,712 | 10 | 0.0011% |
| 1915 | #3,040 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1914 | #2,433 | 9 | 0.0014% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Stan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Stan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Stan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.