Girl · #9,541 in 2026

China

Name: Popularity of the name China in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: China, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the second-most populous country after India, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, representing 17% of the world's population. China borders fourteen countries by land across an area of 9.6 million square kilometers (3,700,000 sq mi), making it the third-largest country by area.

English

Current Rank

#9,541

Peak Rank

#816 (1992)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

-32%

1885

First Year

2026

Last Year

1992

Peak Year

#816

Peak Rank

Total Count

119

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of China

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

English

Etymology

Main article: Names of China The word "China" has been used in English since the 16th century; however, it was not used by the Chinese themselves during this period. Its origin has been traced through Portuguese , Malay , and Persian back to the Sanskrit word चिन Cīna , used in ancient India . "China" appears in Richard Eden 's 1555 translation of the 1516 journal of the Portuguese explorer Duarte Barbosa . Barbosa's usage was derived from Persian Chīn ( چین ), which in turn derived from Sanskrit Cīna ( चीन ). The origin of the Sanskrit word is a matter of debate. Cīna was first used in early

Origin & history

Main article: History of China For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Chinese history .

The Story of China

China first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1885, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1992, when 245 Chinas were born — ranking #816 that year. As of 2026, China ranks #9,541 for baby girls with 7 births, falling sharply (-32%). In total, more than 5K Chinas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Variants & Related Forms of China

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with China. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Chyna

Names that sound like China

Phonetically similar names — useful when China is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about China

What does the name China mean?

What is the origin of the name China?

China has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.

How popular is China in 2026?

In 2026, China ranks #9,541 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.

When was China most popular?

China reached its peak popularity in 1992, ranking #816 that year with 245 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is China most popular?

China has historically been most popular in District of Columbia, South Carolina, Mississippi. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named China.

Is China a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, China is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with China?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with China include Nancie, Charolette, Jacki. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

What are nicknames or variants of China?

Common variants and related forms of China include Chyna. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

About the name China

China is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1885 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. China's peak popularity came in 1992 when it ranked #816. Use the chart and map above to compare China's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.