Dan is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Dan means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Dan across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Dan has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Dan is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “God is my judge”. a short form of Daniel; also a biblical name meaning judge.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 107,130 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 862 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 53 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 109 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 495 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Dan per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1958 (3,702/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2005 (48/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2012 (27/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2021 (10/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2006 (7/yr).
Dan has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1958, when it ranked #233 nationally (given to 3,702 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Diane · Dawn · Dana · Danny · Diana · Deanna · Don · Dianne
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →