NameCensus.
Very Rare

Anoah

A feminine name of uncertain origin with proposed meanings of "gracious" or "abundance".

Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Anoah. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Anoah today is around 3 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Anoah births was 2023 (7 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Anoah. 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

  • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Anoah. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.

People living today

7

~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans

Peak year

2023

7 babies that year

Average age

3

years old

2023 SSA rank

#9,815

Tracked since 2023

Popularity

Anoah: popularity over time

Babies born per year

02457

Decades

Anoah 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 Anoah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
2020s707

Origin

Meaning and history of Anoah

The name Anoah is a relatively rare and unique name with an intriguing history and origins. It is believed to have its roots in the ancient Hebrew language, derived from the word "Noah," which means "rest" or "repose." This connection suggests that Anoah may have been used as a variation or diminutive form of the more widely known biblical name Noah.

Some scholars also speculate that Anoah could be a combination of the Hebrew words "anah," meaning "to answer" or "to respond," and the suffix "-ah," which is a common ending in Hebrew names. This interpretation would give Anoah a meaning akin to "the one who answers" or "the respondent."

While the name Anoah does not appear to have any direct mentions in major religious texts or ancient historical records, its connection to the biblical figure Noah means it likely emerged as a name during the early days of Abrahamic faiths and cultures.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Anoah was a French philosopher and theologian who lived in the late 16th century. Anoah de Courcelles (1550-1628) was a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on topics such as metaphysics, ethics, and theology.

In the 17th century, Anoah Sutton (1620-1672) was an English poet and playwright known for his works that explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality. His most famous work was a collection of poems titled "The Groves of Parnassus."

Moving into the 18th century, Anoah Bartlett (1735-1812) was an American soldier and politician who played a role in the American Revolutionary War. He served as a colonel in the Continental Army and later became a member of the Massachusetts state legislature.

In the 19th century, Anoah Kendrick (1819-1890) was a prominent American businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and used his wealth to establish several charitable organizations and educational institutions in his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island.

Lastly, Anoah Griffith (1884-1963) was a British artist and illustrator known for his vibrant and whimsical paintings and drawings. His work often featured scenes of rural life, nature, and fantasy elements, and he gained recognition for illustrating several popular children's books during his lifetime.

While these are just a few examples, the name Anoah has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and eras, each adding their own unique contributions and stories to the rich tapestry of this intriguing name.

People

Anoah + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Anoah 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

Anoah: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Anoah?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Anoah 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 48,964,905 US residents.

Is Anoah a common name?

We classify Anoah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Anoah most popular?

The single biggest year for Anoah was 2023, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Anoah is about 3 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 Anoah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.

Is Anoah a male name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Anoah 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 Anoah still being used today?

Yes. The SSA still recorded Anoah 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 Anoah 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 Anoah as a first name?

For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Anoah on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.

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with the first name

Anoah

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