Donovan

Last seen for girls in 2018 at #15,682 · #495 for boys in 2025, 609 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
2003 · 2,211 births
Debut · boys
8 births
In top 100 · boys
never
of 146 years
Total births · boys
61,684
since 1900

Donovan over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Donovan has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201988peak #176, 2003boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#495609
2024—#506604
2023—#468652
2022—#448693
2021—#424727
2020—#374830
2019—#352947
2018#15,6825#3231,030
2017#15,9025#3231,061
2016#16,2155#3061,160
2015—#2821,304
2014#16,5135#2841,271
2013—#2811,237
2012—#2761,272
2011—#2541,363
2010#16,9925#2171,644
2009—#2151,741
2008#13,8327#2141,786
2007#15,4916#1972,044
2006—#1981,967
2005—#1852,186
2004#8,25913#1872,055
2003#11,3258#1762,211
2002#12,1877#1901,964
2001#12,0567#2111,657
2000#8,02712#2061,718
1999#8,80510#2101,632
1998#8,01611#2091,542
1997#9,0179#2131,449
1996—#2461,201
1995#8,7669#2611,077
1994—#2611,110
1993#11,7806#2491,144
1992#10,4797#2431,176
1991#13,1475#2561,059
1990#11,4096#299849
1989—#311773
1988#8,3918#321672
1987#7,3539#326630
1986#7,1349#373495
1985#9,3076#391460
1984#7,3988#463332
1983—#504278
1982—#507280
1981#9,1106#494289
1980—#449344
1979—#459317
1978#7,6497#476293
1977—#441324
1976—#414348
1975—#425338
1974—#404369
1973—#400378
1972#7,2926#391403
1971—#366479
1970#7,9955#365501
1969#5,4568#361478
1968—#455283
1967—#499227
1966—#572175
1965—#649132
1964—#709119
1963—#760102
1962—#750103
1961—#699119
1960—#87675
1959—#82486
1958—#87774
1957—#703116
1956—#79288
1955—#708107
1954—#82976
1953—#79880
1952—#82173
1951—#74986
1950—#72190
1949—#81770
1948—#76678
1947—#77878
1946—#71683
1945—#81758
1944—#79063
1943—#76473
1942—#79565
1941—#77065
1940—#65984
1939—#66779
1938—#62291
1937—#76464
1936—#66079
1935—#75766
1934—#566109
1933—#65080
1932—#574107
1931—#59098
1930—#63493
1929—#66685
1928—#64793
1927—#74278
1926—#81366
1925—#75975
1924—#84965
1923—#75575
1922—#97752
1921—#82569
1920—#87761
1919—#90854
1918—#98646
1917—#1,03340
1916—#89249
1915—#92545
1914—#93335
1913—#93028
1912—#87626
1911—#98212
1910——
1909—#1,0838
1908—#1,3735
1907—#9309
1906—#8529
1905—#69912
1904—#8109
1903—#7839
1902—#9337
1901—#8587
1900—#9688
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1880——
First appearance
1900

The first year at least five boys were named Donovan! It came in at #968, and was given to 8 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1910, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.

Where Donovan is popular in 1988

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedNHWashington: #287 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 2,508 boysWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #211 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 2,358 boysMNIllinois: #322 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 2,692 boysILWisconsin: #224 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 2,314 boysWIMichigan: #270 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 2,694 boysMINew York: #344 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 3,016 boysNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedIAIndiana: #261 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 2,586 boysINOhio: #323 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 3,846 boysOHPennsylvania: #392 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 5,275 boysPANew Jersey: #365 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 3,958 boysNJConnecticut: #352 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 4,341 boysCTCalifornia: #334 for boys · 91 births · 1 in 2,772 boysCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedUTColorado: #229 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 1,857 boysCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedNEMissouri: #341 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 3,651 boysMOKentucky: #248 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,624 boysKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedWVVirginia: #357 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 3,648 boysVAMaryland: #230 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 1,916 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedDEArizona: #191 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 1,052 boysAZNew Mexico: #217 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,143 boysNMKansas: #266 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,084 boysKSArkansas: #332 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,939 boysARTennessee: #420 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 4,836 boysTNNorth Carolina: #196 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 1,450 boysNCSouth Carolina: #287 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,043 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #170 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 830 boysDCOklahoma: #282 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,304 boysOKLouisiana: #163 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 770 boysLAMississippi: #178 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 964 boysMSAlabama: fewer than 5 boys named Donovan, so not publishedALGeorgia: #288 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 2,224 boysGAHawaii: #220 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,126 boysHITexas: #391 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 3,351 boysTXFlorida: #355 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 2,913 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Louisiana#163 · 1 in 770
  2. District of Columbia#170 · 1 in 830
  3. Mississippi#178 · 1 in 964
  4. Arizona#191 · 1 in 1,052
  5. North Carolina#196 · 1 in 1,450

Best ever in a state: #76 in Vermont, 2010.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Louisiana#163411 in 770
District of Columbia#170101 in 830
Mississippi#178171 in 964
Arizona#191281 in 1,052
North Carolina#196301 in 1,450
Minnesota#211131 in 2,358
New Mexico#217101 in 1,143
Hawaii#22061 in 1,126
Wisconsin#224141 in 2,314
Colorado#229131 in 1,857
Maryland#230161 in 1,916
Kentucky#24891 in 2,624
Indiana#261151 in 2,586
Kansas#26681 in 2,084
Michigan#270241 in 2,694
Oklahoma#28291 in 2,304
South Carolina#287111 in 2,043
Washington#287131 in 2,508
Georgia#288211 in 2,224
Illinois#322311 in 2,692
Ohio#323201 in 3,846
Arkansas#33251 in 2,939
California#334911 in 2,772
Missouri#341101 in 3,651
New York#344431 in 3,016
Connecticut#35251 in 4,341
Florida#355291 in 2,913
Virginia#357111 in 3,648
New Jersey#365131 in 3,958
Texas#391431 in 3,351
Pennsylvania#392151 in 5,275
Tennessee#42071 in 4,836
Alabama———
Alaska———
Delaware———
Idaho———
Iowa———
Maine———
Massachusetts———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
West Virginia———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Donovan
Momentum · boys
Falling
  • 11 spots since 2024 (#506 → #495)
  • 121 spots since 2020 (#374 → #495)
  • 213 spots since 2015 (#282 → #495)
  • Biggest jump: 222 spots in 1923 (#977 → #755)
  • Biggest drop: 443 spots in 1908 (#930 → #1,373)
Rise & fade · boys
103 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1900
  • Peaked 2003 at #176 (2,211 births)
  • Births halved by 2017, 14 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 122 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 122 yrs · run 1918–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 893
  • Highest: 1 in 893 boys born in 2003 were named Donovan (0.11%)
  • Latest: 1 in 2,805 boys born in 2025 (0.04%)
Era · boys
The 2000s
  • 31.3% of all boys named Donovan (19,329) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1900s83#699 (1905)#929
1910s335#876 (1912)#941
1920s719#647 (1928)#791
1930s866#566 (1934)#648
1940s717#659 (1940)#767
1950s876#703 (1957)#782
1960s1,813#361 (1969)#633
1970s3,750#365 (1970)#414
1980s4,553#311 (1989)#414
1990s12,239#209 (1998)#245
2000s19,329#176 (2003)#198
2010s12,289#217 (2010)#290
2020s4,115#374 (2020)#453

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Donovan in 1988

girls
#8,391
8 births · 1 in 222,607 girls
boys
#321
672 births · 1 in 2,849 boys

Top girls' names in 1988

  1. #1Jessica51,556
  2. #2Ashley49,977
  3. #3Amanda39,459
  4. #4Sarah28,374
  5. #5Jennifer27,893
  6. #6Brittany26,816
  7. #7Stephanie22,843
  8. #8Samantha20,700
  9. #9Nicole20,315
  10. #10Elizabeth20,042
  11. #8,391Donovan8

Top boys' names in 1988

  1. #1Michael64,171
  2. #2Christopher53,014
  3. #3Matthew45,876
  4. #4Joshua42,653
  5. #5Andrew35,745
  6. #6David35,329
  7. #7Justin35,055
  8. #8Daniel34,718
  9. #9James32,523
  10. #10Robert30,319
  11. #321Donovan672
More about 1988

girls

1,780,854 girls got a published name in 1988; 1 in 222,607 of them was named Donovan, which outranked 39.6% of the 13,883 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Donovan
  1. #7,691Zasha9
  2. #7,691Zohra9
  3. #7,691Zondra9
  4. #8,391Donovan8
  5. #8,391Aarin8
  6. #8,391Aarti8
  7. #8,391Abriel8
  8. #9,244Abbagail7
  9. #9,244Abbigale7
  10. #9,244Abimbola7

Tied with 852 names at #8,391; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1987
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,890Jalissa#3,857 → #967
  2. ↑ 2,381Taja#3,101 → #720
  3. ↑ 1,710Whitley#2,156 → #446
  4. ↑ 1,225Jalisa#1,662 → #437
  5. ↑ 883Jaleesa#1,227 → #344
Fallers
  1. ↓ 620Channing#590 → #1,210
  2. ↓ 346Denisse#954 → #1,300
  3. ↓ 319Jeana#966 → #1,285
  4. ↓ 314Eliana#826 → #1,140
  5. ↓ 311Nakia#893 → #1,204

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,914,283 boys got a published name in 1988; 1 in 2,849 of them was named Donovan, which outranked 96.2% of the 8,495 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 21.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Donovan
  1. #318Brock682
  2. #319Stuart676
  3. #320Leon675
  4. #321Donovan672
  5. #321Harry672
  6. #323Lamar668
  7. #324Kendall665
  8. #325Salvador663

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1987
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,252Nico#4,239 → #987
  2. ↑ 1,245Ridge#2,215 → #970
  3. ↑ 668Colten#1,484 → #816
  4. ↑ 600Brantley#1,587 → #987
  5. ↑ 518Long#1,337 → #819
Fallers
  1. ↓ 362Cordaro#908 → #1,270
  2. ↓ 246Ramsey#884 → #1,130
  3. ↓ 241Yaakov#974 → #1,215
  4. ↓ 233Adrain#990 → #1,223
  5. ↓ 230Kiel#846 → #1,076

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1988 →