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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Dan

Dan

β™‚ Boy

Pronounced DAN /ˈdæn/Low

Meaning: Short form of Daniel; the Hebrew name Dan itself means 'judge' (as in Daniel, 'God is my judge'). Also a biblical tribe of Israel.Low

In 30 seconds: Dan is the Hebrew name meaning 'judge', also long used as the short form of Daniel ('God is my judge').
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Origin LowHebrew, English
MeaningShort form of Daniel; the Hebrew name Dan itself means 'judge' (as in Daniel, 'God is my judge'). Also a biblical tribe of Israel.
U.S. rank (2025)#1962 β†˜ Falling
2025 U.S. births78 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1960
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 106,551

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 196018802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Dan stands on its own in the Hebrew Bible as the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, with the meaning 'judge'. It is closely tied to Daniel, whose name carries the fuller sense 'God is my judge', and is commonly used as that name's everyday short form. Both readings keep the idea of judgment at the center.

The name has a long record in sport: Dan Brouthers (1858-1932) was a much-traveled baseball player, and Dan Bain (1874-1962) starred at center for the Winnipeg Victorias. Its single clipped syllable makes it as easy to shout from the stands as to read in scripture.

Did you know? The meaning attached to Dan is 'God is my judge', from the Hebrew word for 'judge'; it also serves as a short form of Daniel, and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 55%
Behind the Name - Dan β€” etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration β€” 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Dan Brouthers (1858–1932)
    Baseball player with Troy NL, Buffalo NL, Detroit NL, Boston NL, Boston PL, Boston AA,Brooklyn NL, Baltimore NL,Louisville NL, Philadelphia NL, New York NL.
  • β˜…Dan Bain (1874–1962)
    Hockey player, position C, with the 1895-1902 Winnipeg Victorias (MHL).

If you like Dan…

Danielβ€” the full name Dan most often shortens, sharing the 'judge' root
Dannyβ€” the familiar diminutive built directly on Dan
Nathanβ€” another short, biblical Hebrew boy's name from the same scriptural world
Donβ€” shares the -n ending
Vonβ€” shares the -n ending

Explore names like Dan

By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Dan mean?

Dan means 'God is my judge', from the Hebrew word for 'judge'; it is also a short form of Daniel. It is most often linked with Hebrew tradition.

How do you pronounce Dan?

It's commonly said DAN /ˈdæn/.

Is Dan a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Dan is used as a boy name.

How popular is Dan?

In 2024, Dan ranked #1917 in the U.S. for boys, with 82 births recorded.

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