Dane
From Middle English Dane, from Old Norse danir or Old English Dene.
Every Dane since 1898 — 33,979 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Dane
Dane is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #821 in 2025 with 301 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1898, 33,979 American babies have been named Dane. Its peak came in 1986, when 1,080 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Dane stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Dane year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 301 | #821 |
| 2024 | — | — | 276 | #873 |
| 2023 | — | — | 258 | #901 |
| 2022 | — | — | 277 | #869 |
| 2021 | — | — | 285 | #835 |
| 2020 | — | — | 273 | #834 |
| 2019 | 5 | #16,112 | 253 | #872 |
| 2018 | — | — | 315 | #748 |
| 2017 | — | — | 313 | #753 |
| 2016 | 6 | #14,769 | 355 | #695 |
| 2015 | 5 | #17,089 | 424 | #630 |
| 2014 | — | — | 423 | #623 |
| 2013 | — | — | 482 | #550 |
| 2012 | — | — | 573 | #476 |
| 2011 | — | — | 574 | #470 |
| 2010 | 5 | #17,648 | 684 | #411 |
| 2009 | 7 | #14,056 | 818 | #372 |
| 2008 | 6 | #15,871 | 918 | #349 |
| 2007 | 8 | #12,963 | 949 | #340 |
| 2006 | 7 | #13,946 | 762 | #392 |
| 2005 | — | — | 560 | #457 |
| 2004 | — | — | 537 | #469 |
| 2003 | 5 | #16,364 | 574 | #437 |
| 2002 | 11 | #8,997 | 534 | #456 |
| 2001 | — | — | 549 | #441 |
| 2000 | 6 | #13,576 | 583 | #423 |
| 1995 | 8 | #9,799 | 517 | #443 |
| 1990 | 5 | #13,458 | 739 | #335 |
| 1985 | 13 | #5,425 | 1,003 | #230 |
| 1980 | 5 | #10,744 | 321 | #468 |
| 1975 | 8 | #6,626 | 160 | #645 |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,245 | 235 | #527 |
| 1965 | 5 | #6,718 | 215 | #522 |
| 1960 | 5 | #6,547 | 288 | #468 |
| 1955 | 8 | #4,455 | 225 | #489 |
| 1950 | 6 | #4,842 | 151 | #550 |
| 1945 | — | — | 69 | #736 |
| 1940 | — | — | 29 | #1,254 |
| 1935 | — | — | 20 | #1,551 |
| 1930 | — | — | 20 | #1,656 |
| 1925 | — | — | 35 | #1,205 |
| 1920 | — | — | 16 | #2,065 |
| 1915 | — | — | 6 | #3,495 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Dane
- Dane DeHaan Actor · b. 1986
- Dane Clark Actor · 1912–1998
- Dane Cook Comedian · b. 1972
- Dane Bird-Smith Athlete · b. 1992
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Dane mean?
From Middle English Dane, from Old Norse danir or Old English Dene.
How popular is the name Dane in 2025?
Dane ranked #821 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 301 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Dane?
33,979 babies have been named Dane in the United States since 1898, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Dane most popular?
Dane peaked in 1986, when 1,080 newborns received the name.
Is Dane a boy or girl name?
Dane is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Dane rising or falling?
Dane is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Dane?
Well-known people named Dane include Dane DeHaan (actor), Dane Clark (actor), Dane Cook (comedian).