Donovan
Every Donovan since 1900 — 61,904 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Donovan
Donovan is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #496 in 2025 with 609 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1900, 61,904 American babies have been named Donovan. Its peak came in 2003, when 2,219 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Donovan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Donovan year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 609 | #496 |
| 2024 | — | — | 604 | #506 |
| 2023 | — | — | 652 | #468 |
| 2022 | — | — | 693 | #448 |
| 2021 | — | — | 727 | #425 |
| 2020 | — | — | 830 | #374 |
| 2019 | — | — | 947 | #352 |
| 2018 | 5 | #16,347 | 1,030 | #325 |
| 2017 | 5 | #16,528 | 1,061 | #323 |
| 2016 | 5 | #16,952 | 1,160 | #306 |
| 2015 | — | — | 1,304 | #282 |
| 2014 | 5 | #17,270 | 1,271 | #284 |
| 2013 | — | — | 1,237 | #281 |
| 2012 | — | — | 1,272 | #276 |
| 2011 | — | — | 1,363 | #254 |
| 2010 | 5 | #17,763 | 1,644 | #217 |
| 2009 | — | — | 1,741 | #215 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14,260 | 1,786 | #214 |
| 2007 | 6 | #16,061 | 2,044 | #197 |
| 2006 | — | — | 1,967 | #198 |
| 2005 | — | — | 2,186 | #185 |
| 2004 | 13 | #8,393 | 2,055 | #187 |
| 2003 | 8 | #11,605 | 2,211 | #176 |
| 2002 | 7 | #12,578 | 1,964 | #190 |
| 2001 | 7 | #12,421 | 1,657 | #211 |
| 2000 | 12 | #8,177 | 1,718 | #206 |
| 1995 | 9 | #8,977 | 1,077 | #261 |
| 1990 | 6 | #11,809 | 849 | #300 |
| 1985 | 6 | #9,641 | 460 | #391 |
| 1980 | — | — | 344 | #449 |
| 1975 | — | — | 338 | #425 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,319 | 501 | #365 |
| 1965 | — | — | 132 | #649 |
| 1960 | — | — | 75 | #878 |
| 1955 | — | — | 107 | #708 |
| 1950 | — | — | 90 | #721 |
| 1945 | — | — | 58 | #822 |
| 1940 | — | — | 84 | #660 |
| 1935 | — | — | 66 | #759 |
| 1930 | — | — | 93 | #637 |
| 1925 | — | — | 75 | #760 |
| 1920 | — | — | 61 | #879 |
| 1915 | — | — | 45 | #928 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | 12 | #712 |
| 1900 | — | — | 8 | #983 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Donovan
- Donovan Musician · b. 1946
- Donovan Bailey Athlete · b. 1967
- Donovan Mitchell Basketball player · b. 1996
- Donovan Ricketts Soccer player · b. 1977
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Donovan in 2025?
Donovan ranked #496 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 609 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Donovan?
61,904 babies have been named Donovan in the United States since 1900, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Donovan most popular?
Donovan peaked in 2003, when 2,219 newborns received the name.
Is Donovan a boy or girl name?
Donovan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Donovan rising or falling?
Donovan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Donovan?
Well-known people named Donovan include Donovan (musician), Donovan Bailey (athlete), Donovan Mitchell (basketball player).