Phelan
Irish name meaning "wolf" or "blood-red wolf".
Name Census estimates that about 623 living Americans carry the first name Phelan. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 89.4% of registrations being male. The average person named Phelan today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Phelan births was 1996 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Phelan. 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
623
~ 1 in 550,167 Americans
Peak year
1996
26 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,624
Tracked since 1949
Gender
Gender distribution for Phelan
Phelan leans heavily male at 89.4% of total registrations, but 68 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Phelan as a male name
- Ranked #9,624 in 2024
- 8 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1996 (26 births)
Phelan as a female name
- Ranked #17,823 in 2017
- 5 female births in 2017
- Peak: 1999 (9 births)
Popularity
Phelan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Phelan from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 194 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Phelan 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 Phelan 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 Phelan
The name Phelan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "faoillean," which means "little wolf" or "wolf cub." This name has its roots in ancient Celtic culture and mythology, where wolves were revered for their strength, loyalty, and cunning.
Historically, the name Phelan was predominantly found in Ireland, particularly in the provinces of Munster and Leinster. It is believed to have emerged as a surname during the Middle Ages, but later became adopted as a given name as well.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Phelan can be traced back to the 11th century, when it appeared in the Annals of Inisfallen, an ancient Irish chronicle. In these texts, the name was associated with various notable figures and events from that era.
Throughout history, several individuals with the name Phelan have left their mark. One notable example is Phelan O'Tuathail (c. 1070-1121), an Irish king and chieftain who ruled over the territory of Ui Muiredhaigh in present-day County Tipperary.
Another prominent figure was Phelan MacCarthy (c. 1505-1579), an Irish nobleman and warrior who played a significant role in the Desmond Rebellions against English rule in Ireland during the 16th century.
In the literary realm, Phelan O'Byrne (1794-1861) was an Irish poet and songwriter known for his contributions to the Gaelic revival movement in the 19th century.
Moving into more modern times, Phelan Beale (1889-1962) was an American diplomat and author who served as the United States Ambassador to Peru and authored several books on Latin American affairs.
Lastly, Phelan Hobbs (1923-2005) was a Canadian actor and playwright who gained recognition for his performances in various stage productions and television shows.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Phelan, a name steeped in Irish heritage and symbolism, with roots stretching back to the ancient Celtic world.
People
Phelan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Phelan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Phelan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Phelan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 623 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Phelan 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 550,167 US residents.
Is Phelan a common name?
We classify Phelan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 644 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Phelan most popular?
The single biggest year for Phelan was 1996, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Phelan is about 28 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Phelan a male name?
Yes, 89.4% of people registered as Phelan 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.