Dolan
Originally from Irish Gaelic, meaning "descendant of the meadow-dweller".
Name Census estimates that about 1,279 living Americans carry the first name Dolan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dolan today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dolan births was 1996 (36 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dolan. 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.
People living today
1.3K
~ 1 in 267,986 Americans
Peak year
1996
36 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
2023 SSA rank
#6,288
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Dolan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dolan from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 270 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dolan 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 Dolan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dolans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, North Carolina, Florida recorded the most babies named Dolan, while Texas, Indiana, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dolan
The name Dolan is believed to have its origins in the Irish Gaelic language, stemming from the word "dólán," which means "little bundle" or "little gift." This name likely emerged in Ireland during the Middle Ages, a period when many Irish names were derived from descriptive terms or nicknames.
One of the earliest known references to the name Dolan can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. This text, compiled by monks in the 15th century, mentions a man named Dolan O'Donnell, who was a prominent figure in County Donegal, Ireland, during the late 1300s.
In the centuries that followed, the name Dolan continued to be used primarily in Ireland, particularly in counties such as Donegal, Fermanagh, and Monaghan. It was often associated with families of Gaelic ancestry and was considered a proud Irish name.
One notable bearer of the name Dolan was Thomas Dolan (1538-1598), an Irish Jesuit priest and martyr who was executed during the Protestant Reformation for his Catholic faith. He is recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church and is remembered for his unwavering commitment to his beliefs.
Another historical figure with the name Dolan was James Dolan (1665-1735), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a member of the Irish Parliament in the early 18th century. He was known for his advocacy for the rights of Irish Catholics during a time of religious tensions in the country.
In the 19th century, the name Dolan gained wider recognition with the fame of Joseph Dolan (1828-1878), an Irish-American labor leader and activist. He was a prominent figure in the early labor movement in the United States and fought for the rights of workers and better working conditions.
Another notable bearer of the name was John Dolan (1845-1923), an Irish-American architect who designed several iconic buildings in Philadelphia, including the Catholic Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. His architectural works showcased the influence of Gothic Revival and Romanesque styles.
Thomas Dolan (1884-1965) was an Irish-born American prelate who served as the Bishop of San Diego from 1936 to 1948. He played a significant role in the growth and development of the Catholic Church in Southern California during his tenure.
While the name Dolan has Irish roots, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish immigration. However, its historical origins and associations remain deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Ireland.
People
Dolan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dolan 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
Dolan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dolan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,279 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dolan 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 267,986 US residents.
Is Dolan a common name?
We classify Dolan as "Rare". It ranks above 91.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,701 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dolan most popular?
The single biggest year for Dolan was 1996, when 36 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dolan is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dolan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dolan 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.
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.