Fanon
A French word referring to a person's concept of colonized peoples' identity.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Fanon. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Fanon today is around 49 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fanon births was 1972 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fanon. 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 Fanon. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1972
5 babies that year
Average age
49
years old
1972 SSA rank
#5,216
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Fanon: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Fanon 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 Fanon during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Fanon
The given name Fanon has its origins in the French language. It is derived from the Old French word "fanon," which means "a maniple" or "a narrow band of silk or linen worn on the left arm by a priest during Mass." The name likely dates back to the Middle Ages, when it may have been used as a surname for someone who made or sold these ecclesiastical vestments.
In the 13th century, there are records of a French scholar and theologian named Fanon Lestrées, who taught at the University of Paris. He is considered one of the earliest recorded individuals to bear this name. Another early reference can be found in the 14th-century French historical text "Chroniques de Saint-Denis," which mentions a man named Fanon de Brie.
During the Renaissance period, a notable figure named Fanon Dumont (1495-1559) was a French poet and playwright known for his works in the French Renaissance style. He was a contemporary of renowned writers such as Pierre de Ronsard and Joachim du Bellay.
In the 17th century, Fanon Laville (1624-1692) was a French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Church of St-Germain-des-Prés and the Palais du Luxembourg.
In more recent history, Fanon Durand (1889-1962) was a French soldier and military strategist who played a significant role in the French Resistance during World War II. He is credited with developing tactics and strategies that helped the Resistance movement against the German occupation.
While the name Fanon is not as common as it once was, it remains a part of the French cultural heritage and linguistic traditions. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, and it has been borne by scholars, artists, architects, and military figures throughout history.
People
Fanon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fanon as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Fanon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fanon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fanon 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 Fanon a common name?
We classify Fanon 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 Fanon most popular?
The single biggest year for Fanon was 1972, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fanon is about 49 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 Fanon in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Fanon a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Fanon 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 Fanon still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Fanon 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 Fanon 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 Americans are named Fanon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.