Skip to content
Names Starting With D
BoyIrish#139 in 2025

Declan

Declan is a boys' name of Irish origin meaning “full of goodness.” It ranked #139 in the United States in 2025. From the Irish Deaglán, possibly meaning full of goodness.

how do you pronounce Declan?

DEK-lan

Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.

what does Declan mean?

The name Declan means “full of goodness.” It comes from the Irish language tradition.

From the Irish Deaglán, possibly meaning full of goodness. Saint Declan of Ardmore was a 5th-century Irish bishop said to have preached Christianity in Ireland before Saint Patrick.

where does the name Declan come from?

An anglicised form of the Irish Declán, also written Deaglán or Déaglán. Wikipedia records the meaning as believed to be man of prayer — the full of goodness gloss often attached to the name is not supported by the sources found here.

the history of Declan

St Declán founded a monastery in Ireland in the fifth century, placing him among the earliest Irish saints, and St Declán's stone at Ardmore has long been credited with miracles. The name's modern spread beyond Ireland is recent.

how popular is this name?

#102
2020
#106
2021
#114
2022
#132
2023
#132
2024
#139
2025
YearRank
2025#139
2024#132
2023#132
2022#114
2021#106
2020#102

Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset

what are the nicknames and variants of Declan?

Nicknames

DecLanny

Variants around the world

DeaglánDeclán

who are famous people named Declan?

  • Declan McManus (Elvis Costello)
  • Declan Donnelly

what names are similar to Declan?

what names go well with Declan?

Sibling names that share Declan's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.

Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial

love Declan? get 10 more names curated for your family.

Popularity rankings and meanings are just the starting point. Our AI consultant finds names that match your heritage, style, and what matters most to you.

Completely free. No credit card required.

start free consultation