Dane
Boy name · #823 in 2025 · Rare
Dane is currently the #823 boy name in the United States — 301 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #630, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,980 boys born in 2025 was named Dane.
Babies named Dane per year. Source: SSA.
The 127-year story
Dane first appears in the Social Security records in 1898, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1986, when 1,069 boys were named Dane — good for #221 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dane against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dane in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Dane is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Dane will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dane is most common
Geography matters for names, and Dane is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Dane is most common in UT (0.7 per 1,000), PA (0.3 per 1,000), AZ (0.3 per 1,000), WA (0.3 per 1,000), TN (0.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Dane is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Dane
Statistically, parents drawn to Dane tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Shane, Drew, Blaine, Jaime, and Rene.
ShaneDrewBlaineJaimeRenePierreDeandreShea
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dane | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 301 | #819 |
| 2024 | 276 | #873 |
| 2023 | 258 | #901 |
| 2022 | 277 | #867 |
| 2021 | 285 | #834 |
| 2020 | 273 | #833 |
| 2019 | 253 | #872 |
| 2018 | 315 | #748 |
| 2017 | 313 | #752 |
| 2016 | 355 | #695 |
| 2015 | 424 | #630 |
| 2014 | 423 | #623 |
| 2013 | 482 | #550 |
| 2012 | 573 | #476 |
| 2011 | 574 | #469 |
| 2010 | 684 | #411 |
| 2009 | 818 | #371 |
| 2008 | 918 | #349 |
| 2007 | 949 | #339 |
| 2006 | 762 | #392 |
| 2005 | 560 | #456 |
| 2004 | 537 | #469 |
| 2003 | 574 | #437 |
| 2002 | 534 | #456 |
| 2001 | 549 | #441 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dane a popular boy name?
Dane ranked #823 among boys in 2025 with 301 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #630.
When was the name Dane most popular?
Dane peaked in 1986, when 1,069 American boys received the name (ranked #221 that year). Since 1986 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dane?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,980 newborn American boys was named Dane. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it 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.