Dan
Boy name · #1959 in 2025 · Uniqueness 74/100
Dan ranks #1959 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 78 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1703, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 23,077 boys born in 2025 was named Dan.
The 145-year story
Dan first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 140 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1960, when 3,696 boys were named Dan — good for #111 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Dan per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dan in class?
Dan scores 74 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Dan will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Dan is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Dans were CA (10), TX (6), OH (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Dan
Statistically, parents drawn to Dan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Don, Glen, Dave, Ken, and Daren.
DonGlenDaveKenDarenDinoDaleDarin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78 | #1959 |
| 2024 | 82 | #1921 |
| 2023 | 100 | #1694 |
| 2022 | 88 | #1826 |
| 2021 | 78 | #1931 |
| 2020 | 86 | #1766 |
| 2019 | 103 | #1606 |
| 2018 | 97 | #1657 |
| 2017 | 96 | #1644 |
| 2016 | 100 | #1610 |
| 2015 | 91 | #1703 |
| 2014 | 102 | #1559 |
| 2013 | 88 | #1685 |
| 2012 | 107 | #1498 |
| 2011 | 108 | #1495 |
| 2010 | 116 | #1425 |
| 2009 | 117 | #1433 |
| 2008 | 136 | #1276 |
| 2007 | 150 | #1176 |
| 2006 | 136 | #1229 |
| 2005 | 157 | #1053 |
| 2004 | 139 | #1132 |
| 2003 | 146 | #1060 |
| 2002 | 153 | #1012 |
| 2001 | 143 | #1027 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dan a popular boy name?
Dan ranked #1959 among boys in 2025 with 78 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1703.
When was the name Dan most popular?
Dan peaked in 1960, when 3,696 American boys received the name (ranked #111 that year). Since 1960 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 23,077 newborn American boys was named Dan. It scores 74/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.