Boy · #7,329 in 2026

Hannibal

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

Hannibal is a latinization of the Carthaginian masculine given name ḥnbʿl, meaning "Baal is Gracious". Its continued use in later times and cultures ever since is caused mainly by the historical fame of the Carthaginian leader Hannibal, who commanded its forces during the Second Punic War.

Current Rank

#7,329

Peak Rank

#936 (2015)

Total Babies

797

5-Yr Trend

-33%

1885

First Year

2026

Last Year

2015

Peak Year

#936

Peak Rank

797

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Hannibal

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

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

The Story of Hannibal

Hannibal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1885, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 19 Hannibals were born — ranking #4,889 that year. As of 2026, Hannibal ranks #7,329 for baby boys with 9 births, falling sharply (-33%). In total, more than 797 Hannibals 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

Names that sound like Hannibal

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

Handbill
Handbell
Hummable
Tannable
Cannibal
Handball
Cannibale
Hamble
Bannable
Manable
Sanable
Winnable

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hannibal

What does the name Hannibal mean?

How popular is Hannibal in 2026?

In 2026, Hannibal ranks #7,329 among boys' names in the U.S., with 9 babies given the name that year.

When was Hannibal most popular?

Hannibal reached its peak popularity in 2015, ranking #936 that year with 19 babies given the name.

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

Hannibal has historically been most popular in New York, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Hannibal.

Is Hannibal a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Hannibal?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Hannibal include Gaines, Theophilus, Elon. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Hannibal

Hannibal is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1885 and has accumulated 797 births in the dataset. Hannibal's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #936. Use the chart and map above to compare Hannibal'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.