Antvan
A Hebrew masculine name meaning "gracious" or "gift from God".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Antvan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Antvan today is around 40 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Antvan births was 1984 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Antvan. 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 Antvan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1984
7 babies that year
Average age
40
years old
1984 SSA rank
#5,001
Tracked since 1984
Popularity
Antvan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Antvan 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 Antvan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Antvan
The name Antvan is an ancient name with roots that can be traced back to the Indo-European language family. It is believed to have originated in the region now known as modern-day Armenia, where it was first recorded in the 5th century BCE. The name Antvan is thought to be derived from the Armenian word "ант" (ant), meaning "bear," and the suffix "-ван" (-van), which was commonly used in Armenian names to denote strength or power.
One of the earliest known references to the name Antvan can be found in the ancient Armenian epic poem "The Daredevils of Sassoun," which dates back to the 8th century CE. In this epic, Antvan is mentioned as the name of a brave warrior who fought against the invading Arab armies.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Antvan. One of the earliest recorded figures was Antvan the Scribe (c. 950-1020 CE), an Armenian monk and historian who authored several important works on the history and culture of ancient Armenia.
In the 12th century, Antvan of Ani (c. 1110-1185 CE) was a renowned Armenian architect and sculptor who played a significant role in the construction of the magnificent Cathedral of Ani, a masterpiece of medieval Armenian architecture.
During the 14th century, Antvan the Wise (c. 1320-1390 CE) was a prominent Armenian philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on the teachings of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
In the 16th century, Antvan the Traveler (c. 1530-1600 CE) was an Armenian explorer and merchant who traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and documented his journeys in a series of detailed travelogues.
Another notable figure was Antvan the Poet (c. 1650-1720 CE), an Armenian writer and poet who is considered one of the greatest literary figures of the Armenian Renaissance period.
While the name Antvan has its roots in ancient Armenia, it has also been used in other cultures and regions over the centuries, though its exact origins and meanings may have evolved or been adapted to fit different linguistic and cultural contexts.
People
Antvan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Antvan 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
Antvan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Antvan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Antvan 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 Antvan a common name?
We classify Antvan 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 Antvan most popular?
The single biggest year for Antvan was 1984, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Antvan is about 40 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 Antvan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Antvan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Antvan 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 Antvan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Antvan 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 Antvan 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 Antvan?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.