Han first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Han has been for the last 49 years (from 1976 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Han

A Chinese masculine name meaning bright or radiant.

Popularity of Han by gender

Based on the last 49 years of data, Han is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 53% of people named Han being male.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 21 male babies and 11 female babies born with the name Han.

Year	Male Count	Female Count
2024	21	11
2023	27	10
2022	30	11
2021	28	7
2020	21	14
2019	26	19
2018	30	16
2017	29	17
2016	19	12
2015	22	19
2014	20	13
2013	13	19
2012	15	20
2011	21	10
2010	9	14
2009	11	16
2008	11	11
2007	14	23
2006	17	17
2005	14	13
2004	12	13
2003	10	25
2002	18	15
2001	9	11
2000	11	19
1999	7	22
1998	10	21
1997	12	17
1996	9	16
1995	13	18
1994	14	18
1993	15	14
1992	15	11
1991	14	12
1990	15	8
1989	12	14
1988	13	7
1987	8	7
1986	11	9
1985	9	9
1984	12	9
1983	12	8
1982	15	10
1981	13	10
1980	13	11
1979	12	6
1978	5	0
1977	8	5
1976	7	0

The history of the first name Han

The name Han has its origins in the Chinese language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is a single-syllable name that was commonly used as a given name in various regions of China.

The name Han is believed to be derived from the Chinese word "han," which means "great" or "grand." It is also thought to have connections to the Han Dynasty, a powerful imperial dynasty that ruled China from 206 BCE to 220 CE, and the ethnic Han Chinese people, who make up the majority of the population in China.

In ancient Chinese literature and historical records, the name Han appears in various contexts. One notable example is Han Xin, a famous military general who lived during the Han Dynasty and played a crucial role in the founding of the dynasty. Another notable figure is Han Yu, a renowned writer, philosopher, and politician who lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE).

Among the earliest recorded examples of the name Han is Han Gaozu, the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, who reigned from 206 BCE to 195 BCE. He was born Liu Bang and later adopted the name Han as his imperial name.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the given name Han. Here are five examples:

Han Feizi (around 280-233 BCE): A famous Chinese philosopher and writer who was one of the principal philosophers of the Legalist school of thought.
Han Wudi (156-87 BCE): The seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty, known for his military conquests and territorial expansion.
Han Xizai (fl. 578-559 BCE): A Chinese philosopher and scholar who was a contemporary of Confucius and is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the Spring and Autumn period.
Han Tuozhou (1320-1389): A famous Chinese painter and calligrapher during the Yuan and Ming dynasties.
Han Yongun (1879-1944): A Korean Buddhist monk, writer, and independence activist who played a significant role in the Korean independence movement against Japanese colonial rule.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the given name Han, reflecting its deep roots and significance in Chinese and East Asian cultures.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Han was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Han, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

<a href="https://namecensus.com/first-names/han-meaning-and-history/">Han first name popularity, history and meaning</a>