Iktan
A Turkish name derived from an Uzbek word meaning "strength" or "power".
Name Census estimates that about 167 living Americans carry the first name Iktan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Iktan today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Iktan births was 2023 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Iktan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
167
~ 1 in 2,052,421 Americans
Peak year
2023
20 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,111
Tracked since 2010
Popularity
Iktan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Iktan from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 90 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Iktan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Iktan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Iktans live
Origin
Meaning and history of Iktan
The given name Iktan is believed to have its origins in ancient Mesopotamian civilizations, particularly the Sumerian and Akkadian cultures, dating back to around 3000-2000 BCE. The name is thought to be derived from the Sumerian word "iktin," which means "to build" or "to establish." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who were builders, architects, or those involved in constructing or establishing settlements.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Iktan can be found in cuneiform inscriptions from the ancient city of Ur in Mesopotamia, where it was used as a personal name. However, no specific individuals bearing this name have been identified from that time period.
In ancient Akkadian texts, there are references to an individual named Iktan-Ištar, who lived around the 18th century BCE and served as a high-ranking official or priest in the court of the Akkadian king Sargon the Great. This suggests that the name was in use during the Akkadian Empire and may have held religious or cultural significance.
During the Neo-Assyrian period, around the 7th century BCE, there are records of an Assyrian nobleman named Iktan-Milki, who held a prominent position in the court of King Sennacherib. This indicates that the name continued to be used in the region for several centuries.
In the medieval Islamic world, there are mentions of an Arab scholar and historian named Iktan ibn al-Hasan al-Qurashi, who lived in the 9th century CE and wrote extensively on the history of the early Islamic caliphates. His works provide valuable insights into the social and political landscape of that era.
Another notable figure with the name Iktan was a Persian poet and mystic named Iktan al-Din Rumi, who lived in the 13th century CE and was a disciple of the famous Sufi mystic Rumi. His poetic works are still studied and appreciated in the Persian literary tradition.
While the name Iktan may have fallen out of common usage in more recent times, it remains a part of the rich cultural heritage of the ancient Middle Eastern civilizations and has been carried through history by individuals from various backgrounds and professions.
People
Iktan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Iktan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Iktan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Iktan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 167 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Iktan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,052,421 US residents.
Is Iktan a common name?
We classify Iktan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 168 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Iktan most popular?
The single biggest year for Iktan was 2023, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Iktan is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Iktan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Iktan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Iktan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Iktan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Iktan in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Iktan can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Iktan?
Find out how many people share the name Iktan on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.