Boy · #4,197 in 2026

Minot

Minot is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States. With a population of 48,377 at the 2020 census, Minot is the state's fourth-most populous city. The Minot metropolitan area in north-central North Dakota covers McHenry, Renville, and Ward counties and had a combined population of 77,546 at the 2020 census.

Current Rank
#4,197
Peak Rank
#3,825 (1915)
Total Babies
10
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1915
First Year
1925
Last Year
1915
Peak Year
#3825
Peak Rank
10
Total Count
2
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Minot

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

Minot is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States. With a population of 48,377 at the 2020 census, Minot is the state's fourth-most populous city. The Minot metropolitan area in north-central North Dakota covers McHenry, Renville, and Ward counties and had a combined population of 77,546 at the 2020 census.

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

Origin & history
Dakota Territory c. 1886 , showing Burlington , at the time the county seat, and Minot, which was a smaller, unincorporated village Minot came into existence in 1886, after the Great Northern Railway laid track through the area. A tent town sprang up overnight, as if by "magic", giving Minot its first nickname, the Magic City; in the next five months, the population increased to over 5,000, further bolstering the nickname. The town site was chosen by the railroad to be placed on the land of homesteader Erik Ramstad , who was convinced to relinquish his claim and became one of the city leaders.

The Story of Minot

Minot first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1915, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1915, when 5 Minots were born — ranking #3,825 that year. As of 2026, Minot ranks #4,197 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 10 Minots have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Notable people named Minot

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Dale Brown (born 1935), LSU Tigers men's basketball coach; born and raised in Minot
  • Jonny Craig (born 1986), singer; born in Minot
  • Josh Duhamel (born 1972), actor; born and raised in Minot
  • Joseph Enright , U.S. Navy submarine commander in World War II
  • Tim Jackman (born 1981), professional hockey player; born in Minot
  • Gary Johnson (born 1953), governor of New Mexico; born in Minot
  • Wiz Khalifa (born 1987), rapper, singer, songwriter and actor; born at Minot Air Force Base
  • Kevin Miller (born 1977), voice actor; born in Minot

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

Names that sound like Minot

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

  • Minute
  • Minut
  • Minott
  • Mynatt
  • Minit
  • Minet
  • Menat
  • Minette
  • Miniate
  • Minuit
  • Monit
  • Manat

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Minot

What does the name Minot mean?
Minot is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States. With a population of 48,377 at the 2020 census, Minot is the state's fourth-most populous city. The Minot metropolitan area in north-central North Dakota covers McHenry, Renville, and Ward counties and had a combined population of 77,546 at the 2020 census.
How popular is Minot in 2026?
In 2026, Minot ranks #4,197 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Minot most popular?
Minot reached its peak popularity in 1915, ranking #3,825 that year with 5 babies given the name.
Is Minot a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Minot is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Minot?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Minot include Abert, Adelore, Ausby. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Abert
Peak #3825
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Adelore
Peak #3825
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Ausby
Peak #3825
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Auzie
Peak #3825
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Battle
Peak #3825
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Beach
Peak #3825
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Bolish
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Bomer
Peak #3825

About the name Minot

Minot is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 10 births in the dataset. Minot's peak popularity came in 1915 when it ranked #3,825. Use the chart and map above to compare Minot'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.