Deklan first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Deklan has been for the last 27 years (from 1998 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Deklan

A Gaelic variant of the Anglo-Saxon name Declan meaning "man of prayers".

Popularity of Deklan by gender

Based on the last 27 years of data, Deklan is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 85 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Deklan.

YearMale CountFemale Count
2024850
2023820
20221320
20211470
20201340
20191650
20181930
20171810
20161450
20151640
20141720
20131750
20121640
20111110
2010650
2009410
2008510
2007370
2006430
2005270
2004280
2003200
2002200
2001150
2000140
199980
199860

The history of the first name Deklan

The given name Deklan is a relatively recent invention, having no clear linguistic or cultural origin. It appears to be a modern variant of the Irish name Declan, which derived from the Gaelic words "decc" meaning "whole, perfect" and "lan" meaning "full, complete."

The earliest recorded instance of the name Declan dates back to the 5th century AD when Saint Declan, also known as Deoclán or Declán, was a prominent Irish saint and one of the first bishops of Ardmore in County Waterford, Ireland. He is credited with establishing a monastic school and church in Ardmore, which became an important center of learning in the region.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Declan was primarily used in Ireland and parts of Scotland influenced by Irish culture. It experienced a resurgence in popularity in the late 20th century, leading to the emergence of the variant spelling Deklan.

Notable historical figures named Declan or Deklan include:

  1. Saint Declan (5th century AD), the Irish saint and early bishop of Ardmore.
  2. Declan Kidney (born 1959), former Irish rugby union player and coach.
  3. Declan McManus (born 1954), Scottish singer and songwriter better known by his stage name Elvis Costello.
  4. Declan Masterson (1938-2020), Irish actor best known for his roles in films like The Commitments and Braveheart.
  5. Declan Donnellan (born 1963), English theater director and co-founder of the Cheek by Jowl theater company.

While the variant spelling Deklan is a more recent invention, it draws upon the historical roots of the Irish name Declan, which has been in use for over 1,500 years and is associated with the early Christian history of Ireland.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Deklan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Deklan, please contact us.

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