Dan Boy

Popularity: #860 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: dan //dæn//

Origin: Hebrew; English

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

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Dan has its roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the word 'דָּן' (Dan), which means 'to judge' or 'he has judged.' This name is biblically significant, as it is borne by one of the twelve sons of Jacob, who is a key figure in the Hebrew Bible. The biblical Dan is noted for being the founder of the Tribe of Dan, one of the tribes of Israel, which is mentioned in various texts throughout the Old Testament.

The name was subsequently adopted into Greek as 'Δαν' (Dan) and later into Latin, maintaining its original form as it transitioned into Old French and eventually into Middle English, where it appeared as 'Dan' or 'Danne.' Historically, the name Dan has been associated with various notable figures, including saints and biblical characters. One significant reference is found in the Book of Genesis, where Dan is mentioned in the context of Jacob's blessings to his sons, which occurred around the 17th century BCE.

The name also appears in the genealogies of the New Testament, further solidifying its importance in Judeo-Christian traditions. The King James Bible, published in the early 17th century, helped to popularize the name in English-speaking contexts, as it included references to the Tribe of Dan and its historical significance.

Culturally, the name Dan carries connotations of justice and leadership, reflecting its etymological roots. In various traditions, the name has been associated with qualities such as wisdom and fairness, resonating with the biblical narrative of the character Dan.

The diminutive form 'Danny' has also emerged in various cultures, though it is more modern in its usage. Overall, the name Dan has maintained a lasting presence in historical and religious contexts, symbolizing a legacy of judgment and leadership.

Famous people named Dan

In this section, you will find notable people named Dan. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Dan who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Dan who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Dan Aykroyd is an actor, comedian, and musician best known for Ghostbusters, The Blues Brothers, and Saturday Night Live.

Dan Brown is an author best known for The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and Inferno.

Dan Rather is a journalist and news anchor best known for CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes.

Dan Marino is a former professional football player best known for his career with the Miami Dolphins and being a Hall of Fame quarterback.

Dan Fogelberg is a singer-songwriter best known for his hits such as Longer, Leader of the Band, and Same Old Lang Syne.

Dan Harmon is a writer and producer best known for creating Community and Rick and Morty.

Dan O'Brien is an Olympic athlete best known for winning a gold medal in the decathlon.

Dan Levy is an actor, writer, and producer best known for Schitt's Creek.

Fictional characters named Dan

The following list of fictional characters named Dan is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Dan Scott is a fictional character from the TV series One Tree Hill. He is the father of Lucas and Nathan Scott and serves as a central figure in their tumultuous lives.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dan, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DavidDanielDerekDylanDustinDominic

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Dan. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

DaneDaxDonDrewDaleDamonDanteDorian

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 1958, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan.

In the past 5 years the name Dan has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Dan is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Dan was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Dan.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 88 78 10
2024 82 82 0
2023 105 100 5
2022 97 88 9
2021 78 78 0
2020 93 86 7
2019 103 103 0
2018 97 97 0
2017 96 96 0
2016 100 100 0
2015 91 91 0
2014 102 102 0
2013 88 88 0
2012 107 107 0
2011 108 108 0
2010 116 116 0
2009 117 117 0
2008 136 136 0
2007 150 150 0
2006 136 136 0
2005 157 157 0
2004 146 139 7
2003 151 146 5
2002 153 153 0
2001 150 143 7
2000 163 163 0
1999 139 139 0
1998 150 150 0
1997 165 165 0
1996 176 176 0
1995 171 171 0
1994 178 178 0
1993 208 208 0
1992 217 209 8
1991 230 230 0
1990 234 234 0
1989 246 240 6
1988 260 250 10
1987 231 231 0
1986 276 268 8
1985 271 264 7
1984 265 265 0
1983 288 280 8
1982 321 313 8
1981 371 362 9
1980 342 335 7
1979 335 329 6
1978 354 343 11
1977 378 378 0
1976 400 400 0
1975 453 448 5
1974 485 479 6
1973 578 573 5
1972 683 677 6
1971 909 902 7
1970 1,029 1,021 8
1969 1,167 1,159 8
1968 1,280 1,271 9
1967 1,334 1,329 5
1966 1,538 1,538 0
1965 1,998 1,992 6
1964 2,376 2,370 6
1963 2,823 2,823 0
1962 3,123 3,117 6
1961 3,419 3,414 5
1960 3,696 3,696 0
1959 3,683 3,675 8
1958 3,702 3,692 10
1957 3,202 3,194 8
1956 2,442 2,437 5
1955 2,314 2,304 10
1954 2,161 2,154 7
1953 2,171 2,165 6
1952 2,311 2,311 0
1951 2,000 1,992 8
1950 2,095 2,085 10
1949 2,291 2,279 12
1948 2,502 2,495 7
1947 2,711 2,702 9
1946 2,205 2,194 11
1945 1,732 1,726 6
1944 1,493 1,488 5
1943 1,538 1,538 0
1942 1,344 1,344 0
1941 1,154 1,154 0
1940 1,103 1,097 6
1939 996 996 0
1938 1,047 1,040 7
1937 1,041 1,033 8
1936 975 965 10
1935 1,024 1,015 9
1934 947 939 8
1933 945 938 7
1932 930 922 8
1931 892 882 10
1930 908 899 9
1929 809 800 9
1928 926 908 18
1927 938 923 15
1926 893 880 13
1925 782 772 10
1924 811 800 11
1923 737 730 7
1922 814 806 8
1921 728 717 11
1920 771 764 7
1919 760 748 12
1918 718 710 8
1917 600 595 5
1916 602 594 8
1915 578 578 0
1914 447 447 0
1913 379 374 5
1912 298 298 0
1911 205 205 0
1910 188 188 0
1909 163 163 0
1908 152 152 0
1907 160 160 0
1906 133 128 5
1905 152 152 0
1904 156 156 0
1903 155 155 0
1902 124 124 0
1901 117 117 0
1900 192 192 0
1899 119 119 0
1898 125 125 0
1897 115 115 0
1896 133 133 0
1895 96 96 0
1894 114 114 0
1893 143 143 0
1892 156 156 0
1891 113 113 0
1890 160 160 0
1889 116 116 0
1888 154 154 0
1887 140 140 0
1886 154 154 0
1885 129 129 0
1884 151 151 0
1883 120 120 0
1882 150 150 0
1881 148 148 0
1880 140 140 0

Top States for Dan (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
FL 12
29%
TX 9
21%
CA 8
19%
NY 8
19%
NC 5
12%