NameRealm
Donovan

Donovan: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“dark descendant”
Origin
Irish
Say it
DON-uh-vun · 3 syllables
Used for
Boys

From the Irish surname Ó Donnabháin, meaning 'descendant of Donnabhán'. The byname Donnabhán is generally linked to donn 'brown, dark'.

Irish namesEnglish namesSurname-style namesInternational names

How popular is Donovan?

2024181 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Donovan in 2024603

2024 rank#505 boys

Peak year2003

Total US babies since 188061,290

Donovan is fading: recent use is about 56% of its level ten years before.

Names like Donovan

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • Liamresolute protector · Irish
  • Aidenlittle fire · Irish
  • Nolandescendant of Nuallán · Irish
  • Ryanlittle king · Irish
  • Declanuncertain, possibly full of goodness · Irish
  • Connorlover of hounds · Irish
  • Kevinhandsome, gentle, kind · Irish
  • Braydendescendant of Bradán · Irish

Donovan questions

What does the name Donovan mean?

Donovan means "dark descendant". It comes from Irish. From the Irish surname Ó Donnabháin, meaning 'descendant of Donnabhán'. The byname Donnabhán is generally linked to donn 'brown, dark'.

Is Donovan a boy or girl name?

Donovan is mainly a boy's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Donovan?

603 US babies were named Donovan in 2024. Its peak year was 2003.

How do you pronounce Donovan?

Donovan is usually pronounced DON-uh-vun.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.