Dan Boy

Popularity: #842 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

Pronunciationdan / /dæn/

Hebrew; English

Meaning

Hebrew: God is my judge; English: short form of Daniel

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Dan is derived from the Hebrew name Daniel, which has biblical roots. In the Bible, Daniel was a prophet known for his wisdom and ability to interpret dreams. The name has been used in various cultures and languages, often as a standalone name or a diminutive. It gained popularity in English-speaking countries in the 20th century.

Trend Summary

The name Dan has seen fluctuating popularity in the United States, peaking in the mid-20th century.

Similar Names

Variants

  • Danny
  • Dane

International Variants

  • Daniele (Italian)
  • Daniil (Russian)
  • Dániel (Hungarian)

Famous people named Dan

Dan Rather is an American journalist and former news anchor known for his work with CBS News.

Dan Aykroyd is a Canadian actor and comedian, famous for co-founding the comedy group The Blues Brothers.

Dan Savage is an American author and LGBTQ+ activist, recognized for his advice column Savage Love.

Dan Marino is a former American football quarterback, celebrated for his career with the Miami Dolphins.

Fictional characters named Dan

Dan Scott is a character from the television series One Tree Hill, known for his complex relationship with his son.

Dan Dare is a British comic book hero, recognized as a pioneering character in science fiction comics.

Sibling Suggestions

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Dan was first seen in the United States in 1880. Dan has ranked as high as #233 nationally, which occurred in 1960, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and Texas. In the past 5 years the name Dan has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Dan (2024)

StateBirthsShare
FL 12
29%
TX 9
21%
CA 8
19%
NY 8
19%
NC 5
12%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

YearBirths
1880140
1881148
1882150
1883120
1884151
1885129
1886154
1887140
1888154
1889116
1890160
1891113
1892156
1893143
1894114
189596
1896133
1897115
1898125
1899119
1900192
1901117
1902124
1903155
1904156
1905152
1906128
1907160
1908152
1909163
1910188
1911205
1912298
1913374
1914447
1915578
1916594
1917595
1918710
1919748
1920764
1921717
1922806
1923730
1924800
1925772
1926880
1927923
1928908
1929800
1930899
1931882
1932922
1933938
1934939
19351,015
1936965
19371,033
19381,040
1939996
19401,097
19411,154
19421,344
19431,538
19441,488
19451,726
19462,194
19472,702
19482,495
19492,279
19502,085
19511,992
19522,311
19532,166
19542,153
19552,304
19562,437
19573,194
19583,693
19593,675
19603,697
19613,417
19623,115
19632,823
19642,369
19651,991
19661,538
19671,329
19681,271
19691,159
19701,021
1971902
1972677
1973573
1974479
1975448
1976400
1977378
1978343
1979329
1980335
1981362
1982315
1983280
1984265
1985264
1986268
1987231
1988249
1989240
1990234
1991230
1992209
1993208
1994178
1995171
1996176
1997165
1998150
1999139
2000163
2001143
2002153
2003146
2004139
2005156
2006136
2007149
2008136
2009116
2010116
2011108
2012107
201387
2014102
201591
2016100
201796
201897
2019102
202086
202178
202288
2023100
202482