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At a Glance: Name: Chan – Meaning: Chinese surname 陳, 'to display or exhibit'; in Khmer, 'moon' – Origin: ambiguous — Chinese surname (romanization of 陳 Chen or 詹 Zhan) or Khmer name element (चन्द, related to 'moon'); no Hebrew connection attested – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: CHAN
Chan is a clean, modern, gender-neutral name, pronounced CHAN. As a Chinese surname, 陳, it carries the sense 'to display or exhibit,' and in Khmer it means 'moon.' Its roots are ambiguous: it may be a romanization of the Chinese surnames 陳 (Chen) or 詹 (Zhan), or it may come from a Khmer name element related to 'moon.'
Meaning & Origin of Chan
Meaning: Chinese surname 陳, 'to display or exhibit'; in khmer, 'moon'.
Origin: ambiguous — Chinese surname (romanization of 陳 Chen or 詹 Zhan) or Khmer name element (चन्द, related to 'moon'); no Hebrew connection attested.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Chan
Phonetic: CHAN IPA: /ˈtʃæn/
Popularity of Chan
In U.S. Social Security data, Chan peaked at #1779 in 1965, when 20 babies were given the name. By 2024 it had settled at #11143, with 6 babies, so it's a rare name today.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1919–2024.
Make Chan Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Chan, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Chan mean?
Chinese surname 陳, ‘to display or exhibit’; in khmer, ‘moon’. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Chan)
How do you pronounce Chan?
Chan is pronounced CHAN (IPA: /ˈtʃæn/).
Is Chan a popular name right now?
Chan peaked at #1779 in 1965 and is ranked #11143 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1919–2024.)
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