Declan
Boy · DEK-lan · Irish
Declan is a boys' name of Irish origin. In 2025 it ranked 360th for boys in the UK (131 babies) and 139th for boys in the US (2,570 babies).
What does Declan mean?
Irish: anglicised form of Irish Deaglán, of unknown meaning
St Declan of Ardmore was an early missionary in County Waterford, said to have preached there before St Patrick.
- Say it
- DEK-lan
More on Wiktionary.
Is Declan a girl's or a boy's name?
Declan is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 131 boys in the UK and 17 girls and 2,570 boys in the US.
How popular is Declan in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #360among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 131about 1 in 2,300 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadydown 10% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 131 boys in the UK were named Declan, making it the 360th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 341st. Its busiest year was 1997, with 1,284 boys.
Half of all the boys named Declan in the UK since 1996 were born between 1999 and 2010. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Among boys in 2025, it was 372nd in England and Wales, 278th in Scotland and 270th in Northern Ireland.
In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1994 (#94) and 2004 (#92).
Declan in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 131 | #360 |
| 2024 | 131 | #369 |
| 2023 | 124 | #381 |
| 2022 | 133 | #364 |
| 2021 | 131 | #377 |
| 2020 | 148 | #341 |
| 2019 | 145 | #352 |
| 2018 | 134 | #373 |
| 2017 | 194 | #295 |
| 2016 | 213 | #277 |
| 2015 | 266 | #236 |
| 2014 | 276 | #228 |
| 2013 | 360 | #180 |
| 2012 | 435 | #151 |
| 2011 | 477 | #146 |
| 2010 | 555 | #126 |
| 2009 | 519 | #129 |
| 2008 | 593 | #113 |
| 2007 | 558 | #119 |
| 2006 | 579 | #114 |
| 2005 | 670 | #101 |
| 2004 | 780 | #89 |
| 2003 | 773 | #86 |
| 2002 | 803 | #85 |
| 2001 | 975 | #70 |
| 2000 | 1,056 | #63 |
| 1999 | 1,040 | #66 |
| 1998 | 944 | #73 |
| 1997 | 1,284 | #63 |
| 1996 | 885 | #79 |
How popular is Declan in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #139among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 2,570about 1 in 660 boys
- Five-year trend
- Fallingdown 28% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 2.1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 2,570 boys in the US were named Declan, making it the 139th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 101st. Its busiest year was 2019, with 3,971 boys. It first appears in the records in 1951. 17 girls were also named Declan in 2025 (6,545th for girls).
It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 4 years. 2025 had fewer boys named Declan than any year since 2011.
Half of all the boys named Declan in the US since 1880 were born between 2012 and 2021, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 2,746 boys in the US were given Declan or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #148.
Declan in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,570 | #139 |
| 2024 | 2,765 | #132 |
| 2023 | 2,814 | #132 |
| 2022 | 3,345 | #114 |
| 2021 | 3,647 | #106 |
| 2020 | 3,601 | #101 |
| 2019 | 3,971 | #95 |
| 2018 | 3,812 | #101 |
| 2017 | 3,470 | #115 |
| 2016 | 3,623 | #109 |
| 2015 | 3,587 | #112 |
| 2014 | 3,321 | #123 |
| 2013 | 3,116 | #121 |
| 2012 | 2,781 | #143 |
| 2011 | 2,169 | #176 |
| 2010 | 1,257 | #274 |
| 2009 | 1,046 | #309 |
| 2008 | 942 | #347 |
| 2007 | 923 | #348 |
| 2006 | 817 | #366 |
| 2005 | 842 | #353 |
| 2004 | 606 | #431 |
| 2003 | 611 | #423 |
| 2002 | 562 | #441 |
| 2001 | 531 | #454 |
| 2000 | 388 | #544 |
| 1999 | 351 | #568 |
| 1998 | 234 | #710 |
| 1997 | 124 | #1,025 |
| 1996 | 105 | #1,125 |
| 1995 | 92 | #1,202 |
| 1994 | 66 | #1,449 |
| 1993 | 49 | #1,736 |
| 1992 | 44 | #1,839 |
| 1991 | 33 | #2,184 |
| 1990 | 37 | #2,007 |
| 1989 | 34 | #2,062 |
| 1988 | 23 | #2,504 |
| 1987 | 14 | #3,334 |
| 1986 | 12 | #3,649 |
| 1985 | 15 | #3,067 |
| 1984 | 8 | #4,549 |
| 1983 | 10 | #3,882 |
| 1982 | 13 | #3,281 |
| 1981 | 10 | #3,856 |
| 1980 | 6 | #5,523 |
| 1979 | 0 | – |
| 1978 | 6 | #5,056 |
| 1977 | 6 | #5,121 |
| 1976 | 7 | #4,416 |
| 1975 | 8 | #3,939 |
| 1974 | 9 | #3,556 |
| 1973 | 0 | – |
| 1972 | 0 | – |
| 1971 | 6 | #4,373 |
| 1970 | 11 | #2,890 |
| 1969 | 9 | #3,061 |
| 1968 | 8 | #3,106 |
| 1967 | 7 | #3,229 |
| 1966 | 5 | #3,946 |
| 1965 | 7 | #3,242 |
| 1964 | 7 | #3,281 |
| 1963 | 10 | #2,672 |
| 1962 | 5 | #4,031 |
| 1961 | 5 | #4,063 |
| 1960 | 7 | #3,335 |
| 1959 | 5 | #3,986 |
| 1958 | 0 | – |
| 1957 | 6 | #3,550 |
| 1956 | 5 | #3,940 |
| 1955 | 6 | #3,503 |
| 1954 | 0 | – |
| 1953 | 0 | – |
| 1952 | 0 | – |
| 1951 | 5 | #3,712 |
Nicknames for Declan
- Dec
- Deco
Names like Declan
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Ronan Aiden Finn Kian Conan Keegan Kayden Caelan Callan Brogan Regan Brayden
Other spellings of Declan
Names related to Declan
More Irish names
Oscar Rowan Rory Maeve Ryan Nolan Quinn Orla Cody Erin Connor Casey Kennedy Lennon Cillian Kevin