Hannibal
A male given name from Punic of mostly historical use.
Every Hannibal since 1885 — 784 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Hannibal
Hannibal is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #11,151 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1885, 784 American babies have been named Hannibal. Its peak came in 2015, when 19 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Hannibal stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Hannibal year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | #11,151 |
| 2024 | 9 | #8,575 |
| 2023 | 11 | #7,446 |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | 18 | #5,198 |
| 2020 | 14 | #6,086 |
| 2019 | 13 | #6,546 |
| 2018 | 16 | #5,625 |
| 2017 | 12 | #6,840 |
| 2016 | 17 | #5,396 |
| 2015 | 19 | #4,944 |
| 2014 | 17 | #5,337 |
| 2013 | 8 | #9,088 |
| 2012 | 13 | #6,438 |
| 2011 | 15 | #5,772 |
| 2010 | 7 | #10,040 |
| 2009 | 7 | #10,232 |
| 2008 | 7 | #10,259 |
| 2007 | 14 | #6,025 |
| 2006 | 6 | #11,136 |
| 2005 | 7 | #9,475 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | 7 | #8,788 |
| 2001 | 7 | #8,626 |
| 2000 | 8 | #7,716 |
| 1995 | 9 | #6,097 |
| 1990 | 11 | #4,798 |
| 1985 | 14 | #3,278 |
| 1980 | 17 | #2,770 |
| 1975 | 6 | #5,039 |
| 1970 | 5 | #5,007 |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | 7 | #3,473 |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | 7 | #2,978 |
| 1935 | 7 | #3,089 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 11 | #2,658 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | 9 | #2,710 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | 5 | #1,004 |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Hannibal
- Hannibal Politician · -183–-183
- Hannibal Gisco Military personnel · -300–-260
- Hannibal Hamlin Politician · 1809–1891
- Hannibal Sehested Politician · 1842–1924
- Hannibal Muammar Gaddafi Politician · b. 1975
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Hannibal mean?
A male given name from Punic of mostly historical use.
How popular is the name Hannibal in 2025?
Hannibal ranked #11,151 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 6 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Hannibal?
784 babies have been named Hannibal in the United States since 1885, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Hannibal most popular?
Hannibal peaked in 2015, when 19 newborns received the name.
Is Hannibal a boy or girl name?
Hannibal is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Hannibal rising or falling?
Hannibal is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Hannibal?
Well-known people named Hannibal include Hannibal (politician), Hannibal Gisco (military personnel), Hannibal Hamlin (politician).