Dan
Literal root meaning: “God is my judge”
About the name Dan
Dan is a boy name with Hebrew roots, literally “God is my judge”. It is related to Daniel, which is where the meaning comes from.
It has a vintage, unique, short & sweet feel. In 2025, Dan ranked #1962 for boys in the US, with 78 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 1960. Since 2000, 98% of US babies named Dan were boys.
Etymology
A diminutive of Daniel, which comes from Hebrew, meaning literally “God is my judge”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Dan”, “Daniel”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- #1962
- In 2015
- #1706
- Babies in 2025
- 78
Popularity of Dan, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Dan
Dan is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.
Names similar to Dan
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.