Baby Name Popularity Profile

Donovan

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Donovan.

✦ Dark-haired chieftain 🌍 Irish traditional
National Rank (2025) #496
All-Time Peak Rank #176 Achieved 2003
Total U.S. Births 61,684 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.9% Boy / 0.1% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1900 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 2000s 2,211 births in 2003
💡 The Donovan Vibe: Considered a Modern Trend. A contemporary choice reflecting current cultural naming rhythms and popularity brackets.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Dark-haired chieftain
Language Origin Irish
Origin Type single
Derived from the Irish surname Ó Donnabháin, meaning 'descendant of Donnabhán'. Donnabhán itself means 'dark brown' or 'dark-haired chieftain'.
Common Nicknames
Don Donny
Alternative Spellings
Donavon
Pronunciation: DON-uh-van
Themes & Categories
traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Donovan

According to SSA data, Donovan achieved its highest historical rank of #176 in 2003. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 2003 with 2,211 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 53.3%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 115 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Donovan across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -53.3% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 2,211 births in 2003
Years in Top 100 0 yrs
Years in Top 500 56 yrs
Registry Streak 115 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 0
1890s: 0
1900s: 83
1910s: 335
1920s: 719
1930s: 866
1940s: 717
1950s: 876
1960s: 1,813
1970s: 3,750
1980s: 4,553
1990s: 12,239
2000s: 19,329
2010s: 12,289
2020s: 4,115

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Do-no-van
Letter Count 7 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 54.1% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 54.1% of SSA names. Starts with D, a letter used by only 6.6% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Donovan.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Nevada
Top States Nevada, Hawaii, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Nevada #532 586 2007 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 495 1996 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 650 2005 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #474 1,348 2002 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #469 1,357 2005 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska Unranked 148 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #558 3,027 2005 32.6% Decline
Louisiana #611 1,541 1987 Insufficient historical volume
California #376 8,238 2005 22.2% Decline
Washington #429 1,285 2003 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #481 1,190 2004 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon #448 645 2003 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #528 1,267 2001 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #577 2,547 2003 48.1% Decline
Virginia #392 1,512 2005 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #523 1,808 2007 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #444 521 2001 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #688 1,814 2003 55.2% Decline
Texas #533 4,637 2003 27.4% Decline
District of Columbia Unranked 270 2002 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #418 1,194 2001 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 202 1936 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #564 821 2005 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #444 2,574 2005 14.3% Decline
Indiana #492 1,260 2003 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho #449 206 2005 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #533 1,072 2006 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #518 647 2003 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #402 497 2005 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #519 2,304 2007 40.6% Decline
Tennessee #602 994 2005 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #580 784 2005 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa Unranked 551 1932 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 520 2002 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #315 1,121 2000 10.0% Decline
Nebraska Unranked 286 1999 Insufficient historical volume
New York #506 2,924 2006 38.5% Decline
Connecticut #398 398 1999 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 118 1971 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #462 1,847 2002 18.5% Decline
Arkansas Unranked 356 2000 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #590 581 2003 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 57 2004 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 249 2007 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #483 638 2004 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 69 2004 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 66 2005 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 75 2005 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 64 2003 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 24 2010 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 14 2005 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Eduardo Esteban Rodrigo Enrique Fabian Alexis Jamari Uriel Garrett Emanuel
👧 Sister Suggestions
Mckenna Trinity Madilyn Makayla Makenna Maddison Aniyah Madelynn Fernanda Lilian

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