Banan
Persian name meaning sweet, fragrant flower.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Banan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Banan today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Banan births was 2006 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Banan. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Banan with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Banan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2006
5 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2006 SSA rank
#12,235
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Banan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Banan 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 Banan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Banan
The name Banan is believed to have its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, one of the earliest known written languages of Mesopotamia, dating back to around 3500-3000 BCE. It is thought to be derived from the Sumerian word "bana," which means "to create" or "to build." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with artisans, craftsmen, or builders in the early Sumerian civilization.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Banan can be found in cuneiform inscriptions from the ancient city of Uruk, located in present-day Iraq. These inscriptions date back to the 3rd millennium BCE and contain references to individuals bearing this name, possibly indicating their occupation or social status within the Sumerian society.
Throughout its long history, the name Banan has been associated with various notable figures across different cultures and time periods. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Banan the Scribe, a prominent Sumerian scholar and writer who lived around 2500 BCE. He is credited with the authorship of several literary works and records that provide valuable insights into the daily life and customs of the ancient Sumerians.
In the 6th century BCE, Banan of Ephesus was a renowned Greek philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the development of early geometry and the study of irrational numbers. His work laid the foundation for many of the mathematical principles that are still taught today.
During the Islamic Golden Age, Banan ibn Musa al-Hashimi (born in 820 CE) was a renowned Persian scholar and polymath who made notable contributions to the fields of astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy. He is particularly known for his work on celestial mechanics and his influential treatises on the motion of celestial bodies.
In more recent times, Banan al-Khayyat (1908-1977) was a renowned Iraqi artist and sculptor who played a pivotal role in the development of modern Arab art. His works, which often celebrated the rich cultural heritage of the Middle East, are displayed in museums and galleries around the world.
Another notable figure was Banan al-Rayes (1932-2022), a Syrian writer and journalist who was widely regarded as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Arabic literature. Her novels and essays explored complex social and political issues, shedding light on the challenges faced by women and marginalized communities in the Middle East.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the name Banan, each leaving their mark on various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human civilization.
People
Banan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Banan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Banan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Banan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Banan 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Banan a common name?
We classify Banan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Banan most popular?
The single biggest year for Banan was 2006, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Banan is about 20 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 Banan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Banan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Banan 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 Banan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Banan 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 Banan 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 are named Banan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.