Declan
Boy name · #139 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Declan? In official American birth records, Declan has been tracked continuously since 1951, giving it 74 years of documented American history.
Declan is currently the #139 boy name in the United States — 2,570 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #112, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 700 boys born in 2025 was named Declan.
The 74-year story
Declan first appears in the Social Security records in 1951, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 3,971 boys were named Declan — good for #95 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Declan per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Declan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Declan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Declan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Declan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Declan is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Declan is most common in DE (4.8 per 1,000), NH (4.4 per 1,000), MT (4.3 per 1,000), DC (4 per 1,000), ME (3.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.8 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Declan is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Declan
Statistically, parents drawn to Declan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nolan, Damian, Milan, Callan, and Jameson.
NolanDamianMilanCallanJamesonJaxsonEastonGreyson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Declan | 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 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Declan?
In official American birth records, the name Declan first appeared in 1951 (over 74 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 74 years.
Is Declan a popular boy name?
Declan ranked #139 among boys in 2025 with 2,570 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #112.
When was the name Declan most popular?
Declan peaked in 2019, when 3,971 American boys received the name (ranked #95 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Declan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 700 newborn American boys was named Declan. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.