Chance

Chance - A very unique male name

Chance appeared on the charts for the first time in 1962 on position #1211. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Chance and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Chance? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Chance. The baby boy name Chance was given to 677 baby boys in 2025, ranking #444 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,166 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Chance peaked in popularity 30 years ago in 1996 on position 153.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Chance, 1-5?

Chance is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Chance is currently topping the baby name charts in Louisiana at position #199 - and is the least popular in Washington at position #745.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Chance is where you live.

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Chance origin and meaning

English — word name

From the English word chance, 'fortune, luck, possibility', from Old French cheance

Chance became a given name in the 1960s and peaked in the 1990s. Rapper Chance the Rapper (born Chancelor Bennett, Chance is short for his birth name Chancelor) refreshed it in the 2010s, but as a baby name it has fallen from #283 in 2020 to #444.

Attested etymology

Chance is a 6 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Chance, pop culture references for the name Chance and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Chance

We've found the following names that sound similar to Chance, sorted by popularity.

Channing / Chauncey / Cheng / Cuong / Chong / Chang / Chukwuemeka / Chanse / Chancey / Chanoch /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Chance

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Chance a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Chance?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

CHANS · /tʃæns/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Chanse — Respelling
• Chantz — Rare respelling

Famous bearers

• Chance the Rapper — Rapper (born Chancelor Bennett; Chance shortens his birth name) (b. 1993) Contemporary

Style

Word name

Why parents choose it

Parents like its optimistic, take-a-chance spirit in one syllable.

Worth knowing

• It invites 'take a chance on me' jokes, and some hear it as a nickname rather than a full name.