Declan

During the fifth century, there was an Irish saint from Munster who served as a missionary and founded what was once the Ardmore Cathedral. Today, it is named after the saint himself: St. Declan's Monastery.

Declan, an anglicization of Old Irish Deaglán meaning "full of goodness," entered regular usage among English-speakers several centuries after the saint lived. Its establishment as an English name began in the nineteenth century. Declan did not enter regular usage until the 1940s, though; it peaked during the late twentieth century in England, Scotland, and Ireland. 

As an American name, Declan was first used at least five boys in 1951. It entered the top 1000 in 1998 and has been a top 200 name since 2011. Declan ranked among the top 100 once in 2019, too. 

Declan has recently been popular in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand as well as peaking in Northern Ireland in the early 2000s. 

The name has declined since its 2019 peak, but at a slow pace. If Declan declines slow enough to remain in or around the top 200 for another decade, it could become a modern classic. Regardless, it makes for a potential choice for parents who are interested in the early saint, Irish culture, or both. 

STYLES:

Celtic, Saintly

SISTERS:

Fiona, Neve, Brigid, Riley, Teagan, Isla, Deidre, Maisie

BROTHERS:

Seamus, Finn, Connor, Owen, Graham, Rory, Aidric, Liam

ALTERNATIVES:

Brannock, Cormac, Dermot, Desmond, Duncan, Lachlan, Lorcan, Malcolm

FURTHER RESOURCES:

"Baby Name: Declan." Boy Names, Nancy's Baby Names, 2023, https://www.nancy.cc/baby-name/declan/. 

"Declan." Names, Behind the Name, 21 Jan. 2022, https://www.behindthename.com/name/declan. 

Nickerson, Eleanor. "Declan." Names of the Week, British Baby Names, 14 Apr. 2012, https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2012/04/declan.html. 

What do you think about Declan.