Declan Name Meaning

Declan is derived from the Latin name Decimus, which translates to “tenth”. It’s believed that the name was originally derived from the Latin word decima, which means “tithe”.

Origins of the Name Declan

The name is thought to have been first used by early Irish Christians in honor of Saint Declan of Ardmore, who is said to have been the first bishop to bring Christianity to the country.

The name is also associated with the Irish word deagh-ghlan, which means “good and pure” or “good and gentle”. It has also been linked to the Gaelic name for oak trees, which are said to be symbols of strength and endurance.

Popularity of the Name Declan

Declan is a popular name in both Ireland and the United Kingdom. It has been in the top ten most popular Irish names for boys since at least the mid-1970s. It’s also been a popular name in the United Kingdom since the 1980s and is currently in the top fifty most popular names for boys in the country.
In the United States, Declan is not as popular as it is in other countries, but it has been steadily increasing in popularity over the last decade. In 2019, it was the 287th most popular name for boys in the United States.

Final Thoughts on the Name Declan

Declan is a name with a long and rich history. It has been popular in Ireland and the United Kingdom for many years and its popularity is on the rise in the United States. With its strong ties to Christianity and its meaning of “good and pure”, Declan is a name that will likely remain popular for many years to come.

Infographic of Declan name meaning, which is A form of Deaglan, Declan is an Irish name meaning full of goodness.
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Declan Name Popularity

How popular is the name Declan? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 — 0 0%
1911 — 0 0%
1912 — 0 0%
1913 — 0 0%
1914 — 0 0%
1915 — 0 0%
1916 — 0 0%
1917 — 0 0%
1918 — 0 0%
1919 — 0 0%
1920 — 0 0%
1921 — 0 0%
1922 — 0 0%
1923 — 0 0%
1924 — 0 0%
1925 — 0 0%
1926 — 0 0%
1927 — 0 0%
1928 — 0 0%
1929 — 0 0%
1930 — 0 0%
1931 — 0 0%
1932 — 0 0%
1933 — 0 0%
1934 — 0 0%
1935 — 0 0%
1936 — 0 0%
1937 — 0 0%
1938 — 0 0%
1939 — 0 0%
1940 — 0 0%
1941 — 0 0%
1942 — 0 0%
1943 — 0 0%
1944 — 0 0%
1945 — 0 0%
1946 — 0 0%
1947 — 0 0%
1948 — 0 0%
1949 — 0 0%
1950 — 0 0%
1951 — 0 0%
1952 — 0 0%
1953 — 0 0%
1954 — 0 0%
1955 — 0 0%
1956 — 0 0%
1957 — 0 0%
1958 — 0 0%
1959 — 0 0%
1960 — 0 0%
1961 — 0 0%
1962 — 0 0%
1963 — 0 0%
1964 — 0 0%
1965 — 0 0%
1966 — 0 0%
1967 — 0 0%
1968 1,589 5 0.0003%
1969 — 0 0%
1970 — 0 0%
1971 — 0 0%
1972 — 0 0%
1973 — 0 0%
1974 — 0 0%
1975 — 0 0%
1976 — 0 0%
1977 — 0 0%
1978 — 0 0%
1979 — 0 0%
1980 — 0 0%
1981 — 0 0%
1982 — 0 0%
1983 — 0 0%
1984 — 0 0%
1985 2,092 5 0.0003%
1986 — 0 0%
1987 — 0 0%
1988 2,377 5 0.0003%
1989 1,722 14 0.0009%
1990 1,634 18 0.0011%
1991 1,897 12 0.0007%
1992 1,631 20 0.0013%
1993 1,626 19 0.0012%
1994 1,377 32 0.0021%
1995 1,074 65 0.0043%
1996 1,060 66 0.0044%
1997 949 91 0.0062%
1998 722 179 0.012%
1999 564 306 0.0204%
2000 560 331 0.0217%
2001 452 490 0.0325%
2002 441 522 0.0348%
2003 418 577 0.0379%
2004 434 562 0.0369%
2005 356 793 0.0519%
2006 365 785 0.0501%
2007 347 887 0.0562%
2008 347 907 0.0587%
2009 308 1,014 0.0678%
2010 273 1,246 0.0865%
2011 175 2,159 0.1515%
2012 143 2,776 0.1948%
2013 121 3,111 0.2185%
2014 122 3,315 0.2275%
2015 112 3,581 0.2461%
2016 109 3,613 0.2506%
2017 116 3,444 0.2468%
2018 101 3,792 0.276%
2019 95 3,951 0.2919%
2020 101 3,475 0.273%
2021 104 3,626 0.2966%
2022 115 3,260 0.2471%

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Nevada (NV)

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Ohio (OH)

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Tennessee (TN)

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Utah (UT)

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Vermont (VT)

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Wyoming (WY)

Data via SSA.gov.

Lists With Declan

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Declan.

Siblings of Declan

Mamas with kids named Declan also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Isaac

He will laugh

Hebrew

Joel

Yahweh is God

Hebrew

Ronan

Little seal

Irish

Harper

Harp Player

English

Rhett

Advice

English

Charlotte

Free man

French

Madelynn

Woman from Magdala

Hebrew

Finley

Fair warrior

Scottish

24 Comments

  1. We choose a family name first as the Middler name, in this case David. We the. Choose a first name starting with the same initial. Declan was the first one we came across that we LOVED and not just liked. We love the meaning also, “man of prayer”!

    Reply

  2. We wanted another Irish Boys name and it was the first that stuck out. I like names that have nicknames. We call him dex for short and our older son is Finn

    Reply

  3. Irish name for an Irish boy. We adore the meaning “full of goodness” or “man of prayer”.

    Reply

  4. I like the sound and meaning, “full of goodness.” I also like that it honors my Irish heritage.

    Reply

  5. We chose the name Declan because his dad’s family is Irish (and he has red hair) so we wanted a name that reflects his heritage. His middle name, Gallagher, is to honor his paternal great grandmother. She was known to be strong and charismatic.

    Reply

  6. We wanted something unique. A name you didn’t hear very often. After we chose the name it became a popular name.

    Reply

  7. Declan was a missionary from Wales to Ireland and his name means “man of prayer”, it’s something we desire our son to be and pray over him regularly. Declan was our Rainbow baby answer to prayer.

    Reply

  8. Declan means “man of prayer.” It’s also of Scottish/Irish origin which is both mine and my husbands ancestry.

    Reply

  9. My husband and I like unique uncommon names and Declan really stood out to us. We already had his middle names picked out, James, after my husband’s dad and Declan James had a nice flow. Plus there were tons of nicknames with the name so friends and family can have their own name for him as he grew up. Plus the meaning of the name Declan, “full of goodness”, was an added bonus.

    Reply

  10. Just love the name and loving these updates

    Reply

  11. He was born the 11 of april!!

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  12. I was looking at names for boys online and I seen the name Declan and just loved the name!!

    Reply

  13. I came across the name first and fell in love. I found myself always comparing all other names to Declan. I shared the name with my husband, but he was a bit hesitant right away. He wanted a name that had a good, strong meaning. So he started searching and quickly to love the name as much as I did. It’s from the Irish origin and means “man of prayer” or “full of goodness”. After a month or so we finally decided to name him Declan Adam. Adam being his daddy’s middle name. ?

    Reply

  14. We wanted something Irish- and different but not weird! LOL

    Reply

  15. I love our choice of name for our Declan Peter. Meaning Man of Prayer and Full of Goodness, Solid Rock. He embodies each of those personalities, stubborn and challenging…..but sweet and tender underneath.
    Most people can not read his name correctly, and also having to repeat his name so people can say it correctly. It is Deck-Lan. Not Deek-Lan. Or Deck-Land.

    Reply

    • I was born in the 70’s.. I know exactly what you mean.. Thank you mam for blessing me with my name.

      Reply

    • Thanks for helping me with the pronunciation! Dechlan will be my 1st grandbaby’s name in April & I don’t won’t to butcher such a unique & meaningful name! There will be NO Dec/klin or Deck/glin!

      Reply

  16. I heard the name Declan on a TV show back in 2006 and fell in love with it. A bit obsessed honestly. I got pregnant and said the name would definitely be Declan if it was a boy. It wasn’t. So there’s my sweet Alyssa. Fast forward to 2016 and my Declan was brought into this world. I’m still just as in love with his name today as i was back in 2006.

    Reply

    • I have a feeling the show was Kyle XY. That’s where we got the name for our son who was born in 2008. ?

      Reply

      • It was also on criminal minds, as a sweet innocent lil boy, lol not necessarily one of the bad guys on the show ?. Though I don’t know the year.

        Reply

  17. I had dreams of a toddler boy in my en-suite bathroom and decided to ask him his name. He said Declan so my husband and I think he came to me before to tell us his name. It was also a name that my husband and I both liked. Strong male name.

    Reply

    • Simply…beautiful!! Declan is a “man of prayer ” & “full of goodness”!! What a revelation/ vision of Declan’s manifestation???!!!

      Reply

  18. I had never heard the name Declan before. I actually mispronounced it incorrectly the first time I read it (which should have given me a clue that my son would be correcting people when they mispronounce it often). But I love the name! It’s not very common and I think it makes him special. And it’s becoming more common so not as mispronounced as it once was.

    Reply

    • Everyone i come in to contact with still pronounces his name wrong. The way some people say it really has me scratching my head wondering how in the world they could think someone would name their child whatever they just said lol

      Reply

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