Given name & surname · also Chinese
Quan
“a compassionate woman”·“a dignified man; a soldier”
Quan is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a compassionate woman” (Chinese) and “a dignified man; a soldier” (Vietnamese). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a compassionate woman” (Chinese) and “a dignified man; a soldier” (Vietnamese). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Chinese and Vietnamese naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1966. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Quan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,464
- 1,425 boys · 39 girls
- Most popular year
- 1985
- 43 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #7,092 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −19%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 7,092 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 19.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 43 in 1995. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 7,269 as a first name in 2020; 6,825 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Quan’s family of names
In Kazakh usage, Quan is a transliteration of Қуан. In English usage, Quan as a surname has a related form in Kwan. In English usage, Quan as a surname has a related form in KUAN.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Quan
- Lin ChuanTaiwanese politicianborn 1951
- Huang Quan10th century Chinese painter (903-965)
- Ma QuanQing dynasty painter (1669–1722)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Quan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Quang
“a clear-headed man”
>99% boys
Canh
“of the endless environment”
>99% boys
Tuan
“a gentleman”
>99% boys
Cuong
“one who is healthy and prosperous”
>99% boys
Thuan
“one who is tamed”
98% boys · 2% girls
Quoc
“a patriot”
>99% boys
loan
loan is a feminine given name from Chinese. It is used in Vietnamese.
>99% boys
Toan
“one who is safe”
>99% boys