Ance
A Romanian feminine name meaning "Grace" or "Blessing."
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Ance. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ance today is around 81 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ance births was 1944 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ance. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Ance is about 81 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ances were born before 1955.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ance. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1944
10 babies that year
Average age
81
years old
1952 SSA rank
#3,756
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Ance: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ance from the 1920s through to the 1950s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 33 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ance by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ance during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ance
The given name Ance is derived from the Old French word "ance", which means "grace" or "favor". It is believed to have originated in the 12th century during the medieval period in France.
The name Ance is thought to have been popularized in France during the Middle Ages, particularly among the nobility and upper classes who sought to give their children names that reflected virtues and qualities they deemed desirable. The name's association with grace and favor likely made it an attractive choice for parents seeking to bestow these attributes upon their children.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ance can be found in the 13th-century French epic poem "La Chanson de Roland", which tells the story of the legendary knight Roland and his exploits during the reign of Charlemagne. In the poem, a character named Ance is mentioned, though little is known about their historical significance.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ance. One of the earliest was Ance de Montfort (c. 1200-1270), a French noblewoman and member of the powerful Montfort family. She played a significant role in the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in southern France.
Another historical figure with the name Ance was Ance de Bourbon (c. 1380-1435), a French nobleman and member of the House of Bourbon. He served as a military commander during the latter stages of the Hundred Years' War between France and England.
In the realm of literature, Ance de Villeneuve (c. 1480-1550) was a French poet and playwright during the Renaissance period. She is best known for her work "Les Contes de la Reine de Navarre", a collection of short stories and novellas.
During the 17th century, Ance de Médicis (1616-1676) was an Italian noblewoman and member of the powerful Medici family. She served as the Grand Duchess of Tuscany from 1621 to 1628.
In more recent times, Ance de Bragance (1847-1922) was a Portuguese infanta and member of the House of Braganza, the former ruling dynasty of Portugal. She was known for her philanthropic work and support of various charitable causes.
While the name Ance has largely fallen out of common usage in modern times, its historical roots and associations with grace and favor continue to make it a unique and intriguing choice for those seeking a name with a rich cultural heritage.
People
Ance + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ance as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ance: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ance?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ance going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Ance a common name?
We classify Ance as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 54 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ance most popular?
The single biggest year for Ance was 1944, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ance is about 81 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ance in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ance a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ance in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Ance still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ance in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ance can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Ance?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Ance, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.