Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Declan

Declán is an Irish name; its Gaelic form is Deaglán, from the elements “deagh” meaning ‘good’ and “lán” meaning ‘full’. Therefore the name translates to one who is ‘full of goodness.’ The earliest known name bearer was a 5th century Irish saint, Declán of Ard Mór, who predated Saint Patrick and is thought to be one of the earliest Christian missionaries in Ireland. Ireland shared this quaint, charming name with the rest of the English-speaking nations where it has remained in constant use. In fact, today the name ranks in the Top 100 in Scotland (it’s no longer a Top 100 favorite in Ireland itself). The United States discovered this old Irish favorite only very recently.

All About the Baby Name – Declan

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME DECLAN

The Three energy is powerful and enthusiastic. These personalities are cheerful, full of self-expression, and often quite emotional. They have an artistic flair and "gift-of-gab" that makes them natural entertainers. Their joyfulness bubbles over, and their infectious exuberance draws a crowd. The Three personality is like a child - forever young and full of delight. They are charming, witty, and generally happy people. The Three personality lives in the "now" and has a spontaneous nature. Threes seem to live with a bright and seemingly unbreakable aura that attracts others to them. In turn, they are deeply loyal and loving to their friends and family. Luck also has a tendency to favor number Threes.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME DECLAN

The name Declan made his appearance on the U.S. popularity charts as a boy name in 1998. Americans have always had a love-affair with Irish names, but this one in particular is REALLY Irish. Almost too exotic Irish for the typical American palate. Which is probably why it took Americans a little bit longer to warm up to the name compared to our friends over the pond. In any case, Declan is a name reserved for the truly proud Irish-Americans. While the name has shown upwards momentum on the U.S. popularity charts since its debut, it is still a name used only in moderation. However, with the growing overuse of Irish names like Aiden, Ryan, and Connor – we’re not surprised to see Gaelophiles seek out new and more exotic Irish monikers. Declan fits the bill. It’s unique, it’s ethnic, and it’s simply charming. Not surprisingly, the name is already a Top 100 choice in the state of Massachusetts where Irish-Americans rank the highest in terms of per capita concentration. This is a name “full of goodness” and charisma.

Quick Facts

ON DECLAN

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Celtic

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

121

PRONUNCIATION:

DECK-lahn or DECK-lawn

SIMPLE MEANING:

Full of goodness

Characteristics

OF DECLAN

Communicative

Creative

Optimistic

Popular

Social

Dramatic

Happy

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Declan

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME DECLAN

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Declan

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME DECLAN

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Declan


Popular Songs

ON DECLAN

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Declan


Famous People

NAMED DECLAN

Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus (aka Elvis Costello/musician)
Declan McCullagh (journalist)

Children of Famous People

NAMED DECLAN

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Declan

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME DECLAN

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Declan