Nicquan
An African American name of uncertain meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Nicquan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nicquan today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nicquan births was 1996 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nicquan. 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 Nicquan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
1996
6 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2000 SSA rank
#11,640
Tracked since 1996
Popularity
Nicquan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nicquan from the 1990s through to the 2000s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nicquan 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 Nicquan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nicquan
The given name Nicquan is a relatively modern name that appears to have originated in the late 20th century. It is believed to be a creative combination of the name Nicholas and the suffix "-quan," which is often associated with African-American naming traditions. While its precise origins are unclear, it seems to be a unique blend of different cultural influences.
Nicquan does not appear to have any direct historical or linguistic roots in ancient languages or civilizations. It is a contemporary invention, likely inspired by the popularity of blending traditional names with unique spellings and suffixes to create distinctive and personalized monikers.
Due to its relatively recent emergence, there are no recorded instances of the name Nicquan appearing in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records from past eras. However, it is worth noting that some of the earliest recorded individuals with this name are likely to be found in modern birth records and official documents from the late 20th century onward.
As for notable individuals bearing the name Nicquan, here are a few examples:
1. Nicquan Whatley, an American football player who played for the University of South Florida Bulls.
2. Nicquan Sheppard, an American professional basketball player who has played in various international leagues.
3. Nicquan Gray, an American track and field athlete who competed in sprinting events.
4. Nicquan Reed, an American mixed martial artist who has competed in various regional promotions.
5. Nicquan Smith, an American hip-hop artist and music producer from Atlanta, Georgia.
It is important to note that the name Nicquan is a relatively recent addition to the world of given names, and its usage may be more prevalent in certain regions or communities than others. As a unique and creative name, its popularity and significance may continue to evolve over time.
People
Nicquan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nicquan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nicquan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nicquan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nicquan 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Nicquan a common name?
We classify Nicquan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nicquan most popular?
The single biggest year for Nicquan was 1996, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nicquan is about 28 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 Nicquan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nicquan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nicquan 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 Nicquan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nicquan 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 Nicquan 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 Nicquan?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Nicquan at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.