Donovan
An Irish surname, Anglicized from O Donnabhain, descendant of Donndubhan, a personal name formed from donn, brown, and dubh, dark or black.
Donovan in 2025
Donovan was given to 609 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 999th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 5,444 babies born.
The history of Donovan
Donovan reached its highest point in 2003, when 2,219 babies were given the name, ranking 332nd that year.
Across the 126 years of records since 1900, 61,904 babies have been named Donovan. Half of them were born before 2002, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Donovan by decade
| Decade | Babies named Donovan | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 83 | 1,735 |
| 1910s | 335 | 1,812 |
| 1920s | 719 | 1,344 |
| 1930s | 866 | 1,174 |
| 1940s | 717 | 1,385 |
| 1950s | 876 | 1,612 |
| 1960s | 1,821 | 784 |
| 1970s | 3,768 | 794 |
| 1980s | 4,599 | 640 |
| 1990s | 12,302 | 402 |
| 2000s | 19,389 | 332 |
| 2010s | 12,314 | 408 |
| 2020s | 4,115 | 756 |
Where Donovan is heading
Donovan has fallen 53% over the past decade, from 1,304 babies in 2015 to 609 in 2025.
Names like Donovan
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Donovan.