Nolan, a surname-turned-given-name, comes from the Irish name Nuallán and Irish word nuall, meaning "famous" or "loud." Its popularity as a sporty name in the United States can be contributed to the rise of Nolan Ryan, one of the greatest pitchers in basebally history. The name was ranked 627th in the U.S. in 1968 (Ryan's rookie season), but was 250th in 1993 (the year Ryan retired from the MLB). It has only grown more popular since then and has now been a top-100 boy's name every year since 2011, according to the Social Security Administration.
