Chance
Boy name · #442 in 2025 · Rare
Chance ranks #442 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 711 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #250, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,532 boys born in 2025 was named Chance.
Babies named Chance per year. Source: SSA.
The 142-year story
Chance first appears in the Social Security records in 1883, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1996, when 2,243 boys were named Chance — good for #154 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Chance against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Chance in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Chance is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Chance will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Chance is most common
Geography matters for names, and Chance is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Chance is most common in LA (1.4 per 1,000), AR (1.2 per 1,000), MS (1.1 per 1,000), NC (1 per 1,000), AL (0.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Chance is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Chance
Statistically, parents drawn to Chance tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Bryce, Reece, Collin, Dante, and Pierce.
BryceReeceCollinDantePierceCesarPrinceJustice
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Chance | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 711 | #442 |
| 2024 | 762 | #418 |
| 2023 | 853 | #377 |
| 2022 | 985 | #340 |
| 2021 | 1,035 | #322 |
| 2020 | 1,202 | #279 |
| 2019 | 1,214 | #284 |
| 2018 | 1,321 | #270 |
| 2017 | 1,347 | #268 |
| 2016 | 1,347 | #272 |
| 2015 | 1,467 | #250 |
| 2014 | 1,534 | #244 |
| 2013 | 1,520 | #237 |
| 2012 | 1,513 | #238 |
| 2011 | 1,635 | #215 |
| 2010 | 1,440 | #244 |
| 2009 | 1,521 | #236 |
| 2008 | 1,403 | #250 |
| 2007 | 1,472 | #244 |
| 2006 | 1,269 | #274 |
| 2005 | 1,275 | #258 |
| 2004 | 1,321 | #250 |
| 2003 | 1,392 | #240 |
| 2002 | 1,450 | #233 |
| 2001 | 1,542 | #224 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Chance a popular boy name?
Chance ranked #442 among boys in 2025 with 711 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #250.
When was the name Chance most popular?
Chance peaked in 1996, when 2,243 American boys received the name (ranked #154 that year). Since 1996 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Chance?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,532 newborn American boys was named Chance. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.