Declan
Boy name · #139 in 2025 · Uniqueness 53/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Declan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Declan in class?
Declan scores 53 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Declan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Declan is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Declans were TX (158), NY (156), PA (155), CA (148), FL (135). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 53/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.