Daniel
From Middle English Daniel, Daniell, from Ancient Greek Δᾱνῑήλ (Dānīḗl), from Hebrew דָּנִיֵּאל (daniyél, literally “God is my judge”), name borne from the prophet whose…
Every Daniel since 1880 — 1,991,091 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Daniel
Daniel is a top-50 name for boys in the United States, ranked #22 in 2025 with 8,085 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 1,991,091 American babies have been named Daniel. Its peak came in 1985, when 38,853 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 Daniel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Daniel 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 | 8 | #11,166 | 8,085 | #22 |
| 2024 | 10 | #9,708 | 8,426 | #16 |
| 2023 | 19 | #6,225 | 8,402 | #17 |
| 2022 | 11 | #9,194 | 9,121 | #14 |
| 2021 | 12 | #8,604 | 9,162 | #16 |
| 2020 | 19 | #6,133 | 9,530 | #14 |
| 2019 | 17 | #6,788 | 10,592 | #15 |
| 2018 | 19 | #6,314 | 11,296 | #15 |
| 2017 | 14 | #7,949 | 11,758 | #15 |
| 2016 | 25 | #5,324 | 12,996 | #13 |
| 2015 | 20 | #6,288 | 13,543 | #12 |
| 2014 | 25 | #5,348 | 13,961 | #10 |
| 2013 | 29 | #4,787 | 14,326 | #10 |
| 2012 | 19 | #6,668 | 14,304 | #11 |
| 2011 | 25 | #5,411 | 15,307 | #10 |
| 2010 | 30 | #4,773 | 15,869 | #8 |
| 2009 | 40 | #3,889 | 17,564 | #7 |
| 2008 | 50 | #3,335 | 19,032 | #5 |
| 2007 | 30 | #4,846 | 20,268 | #5 |
| 2006 | 47 | #3,421 | 20,082 | #6 |
| 2005 | 50 | #3,136 | 20,236 | #7 |
| 2004 | 76 | #2,294 | 21,018 | #7 |
| 2003 | 53 | #2,898 | 21,072 | #8 |
| 2002 | 38 | #3,536 | 21,352 | #10 |
| 2001 | 61 | #2,516 | 21,013 | #9 |
| 2000 | 63 | #2,434 | 22,338 | #9 |
| 1995 | 104 | #1,511 | 26,728 | #9 |
| 1990 | 149 | #1,157 | 33,830 | #5 |
| 1985 | 294 | #634 | 38,559 | #5 |
| 1980 | 219 | #757 | 29,888 | #11 |
| 1975 | 165 | #823 | 23,814 | #11 |
| 1970 | 101 | #1,145 | 23,521 | #19 |
| 1965 | 100 | #1,048 | 24,833 | #17 |
| 1960 | 78 | #1,239 | 25,945 | #17 |
| 1955 | 48 | #1,468 | 26,460 | #17 |
| 1950 | 44 | #1,380 | 19,189 | #21 |
| 1945 | 32 | #1,424 | 9,708 | #24 |
| 1940 | 23 | #1,644 | 6,225 | #34 |
| 1935 | 17 | #1,938 | 4,591 | #43 |
| 1930 | 23 | #1,672 | 4,465 | #47 |
| 1925 | 25 | #1,704 | 4,548 | #44 |
| 1920 | 18 | #2,092 | 3,897 | #52 |
| 1915 | 9 | #2,947 | 3,002 | #55 |
| 1910 | — | — | 692 | #53 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,005 | 484 | #50 |
| 1900 | 7 | #1,608 | 598 | #44 |
| 1895 | — | — | 516 | #40 |
| 1890 | — | — | 505 | #39 |
| 1885 | — | — | 535 | #32 |
| 1880 | — | — | 643 | #25 |
Famous people named Daniel
- Daniel Defoe Writer · 1660–1731
- Daniel Religious figure · -690–-600
- Daniel Bernoulli Physicist · 1700–1782
- Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit Physicist · 1686–1736
- Daniel Kahneman Psychologist · b. 1934
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Daniel mean?
From Middle English Daniel, Daniell, from Ancient Greek Δᾱνῑήλ (Dānīḗl), from Hebrew דָּנִיֵּאל (daniyél, literally “God is my judge”), name borne from the prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel.
How popular is the name Daniel in 2025?
Daniel ranked #22 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 8,085 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Daniel?
1,991,091 babies have been named Daniel in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Daniel most popular?
Daniel peaked in 1985, when 38,853 newborns received the name.
Is Daniel a boy or girl name?
Daniel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Daniel rising or falling?
Daniel is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Daniel?
Well-known people named Daniel include Daniel Defoe (writer), Daniel (religious figure), Daniel Bernoulli (physicist).