Onan
Onan was a figure detailed in the Book of Genesis chapter 38, as the second son of Judah and his Canaanite wife, the daughter of Shuah. Onan had an older brother Er and a younger brother, Shelah, as well.
Meaning & Origin of Onan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Onan was a figure detailed in the Book of Genesis chapter 38, as the second son of Judah and his Canaanite wife, the daughter of Shuah. Onan had an older brother Er and a younger brother, Shelah, as well.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Onan
Onan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1921, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 10 Onans were born — ranking #7,725 that year. As of 2026, Onan ranks #7,725 for baby boys with 10 births, with steady use. In total, more than 43 Onans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Onan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Onan 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 Onan
What does the name Onan mean?
How popular is Onan in 2026?
When was Onan most popular?
Is Onan a unisex name?
What names go well with Onan?
About the name Onan
Onan is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1921 and has accumulated 43 births in the dataset. Onan's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #7,725. Use the chart and map above to compare Onan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2024 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "O" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.