Dacen
A masculine name of Native American origin meaning "one who destroys".
Name Census estimates that about 90 living Americans carry the first name Dacen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dacen today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dacen births was 2011 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dacen. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dacen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
90
~ 1 in 3,808,382 Americans
Peak year
2011
14 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2020 SSA rank
#9,777
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Dacen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dacen from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 58 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dacen by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Dacen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dacen
The name Dacen has its origins in the ancient Etruscan civilization that flourished in what is now modern-day Italy. The Etruscans were a highly advanced culture, known for their art, architecture, and language. The name Dacen is believed to be derived from the Etruscan word "dace," which means "leader" or "ruler."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dacen can be found in a collection of Etruscan inscriptions dating back to the 6th century BC. These inscriptions were discovered in the ancient city of Cerveteri, which was a major center of Etruscan culture.
During the Roman era, the name Dacen gained popularity among the upper classes of Roman society. It was often given to sons of prominent families, perhaps as a nod to the Etrusccan roots of the name and its association with leadership.
In the Middle Ages, the name Dacen appeared in several historical documents and chronicles. One notable figure was Dacen of Aquitaine, a 9th century Duke who played a significant role in the struggle against the Frankish king Charles the Bald.
Another historical figure bearing the name Dacen was Dacen the Scribe, a 12th century monk who lived in the Abbey of St. Gall in modern-day Switzerland. He was renowned for his beautiful calligraphy and his contributions to the preservation of ancient manuscripts.
During the Renaissance period, the name Dacen experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly among the aristocracy and intellectuals of Italy. One notable bearer of the name was Dacen Frescobaldi, a 15th century Florentine banker and patron of the arts.
In the 18th century, Dacen Mikhailovich was a prominent Russian military leader who played a pivotal role in the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774. He was known for his strategic brilliance and his unwavering loyalty to the Russian Empire.
Another historical figure with the name Dacen was Dacen Beauregard, a 19th century French artist and sculptor who was part of the Romantic movement. His works, which often depicted scenes from Greek mythology, were highly acclaimed and can be found in several museums across Europe.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the name Dacen throughout history. While its usage may have fluctuated over time, the name's Etruscan roots and associations with leadership and cultural significance have endured.
People
Dacen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dacen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dacen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dacen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 90 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dacen going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 3,808,382 US residents.
Is Dacen a common name?
We classify Dacen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 63% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 91 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dacen most popular?
The single biggest year for Dacen was 2011, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dacen is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Dacen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dacen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dacen in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Dacen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dacen in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Dacen can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Dacen?
See how many people share the name Dacen on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.