Pronunciation
Deck-lun
Meaning
An ancient Irish saint’s name, thought to contain an element meaning good. Its full literal meaning is not established
Related forms: Déaglán (related irish form).
Alternate spellings
Déaglán
Fun fact
Declan is an anglicised spelling of Déaglán. Déaglán is the Irish form behind Declan, and it has a Waterford connection. Saint Declan is associated with Ardmore, where his feast day is celebrated on 24 July.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Declan, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | #348 |
| 2024 | 10 | #374 |
| 2023 | 8 | #436 |
| 2022 | 13 | #329 |
| 2021 | 14 | #312 |
| 2020 | 6 | #496 |
| 2019 | 10 | #370 |
| 2018 | 11 | #350 |
| 2017 | 7 | #443 |
| 2016 | 20 | #245 |
| 2015 | 18 | #265 |
| 2014 | 23 | #237 |
| 2013 | 22 | #245 |
| 2012 | 18 | #267 |
| 2011 | 28 | #204 |
| 2010 | 33 | #189 |
| 2009 | 32 | #177 |
| 2008 | 41 | #159 |
| 2007 | 27 | #186 |
| 2006 | 35 | #149 |
| 2005 | 35 | #141 |
| 2004 | 46 | #118 |
| 2003 | 37 | #128 |
| 2002 | 41 | #112 |
| 2001 | 40 | #115 |
| 2000 | 44 | #109 |
| 1999 | 45 | #103 |
| 1998 | 44 | #98 |
| 1997 | 82 | #81 |
| 1996 | 87 | #77 |
| 1995 | 84 | #75 |
| 1994 | 100 | #69 |
| 1993 | 101 | #69 |
| 1992 | 125 | #61 |
| 1991 | 133 | #59 |
| 1990 | 173 | #49 |
| 1989 | 172 | #45 |
| 1988 | 189 | #42 |
| 1987 | 234 | #40 |
| 1986 | 245 | #40 |
| 1985 | 229 | #44 |
| 1984 | 253 | #42 |
| 1983 | 269 | #40 |
| 1982 | 305 | #38 |
| 1981 | 343 | #29 |
| 1980 | 348 | #32 |
| 1979 | 310 | #30 |
| 1978 | 349 | #26 |
| 1977 | 362 | #24 |
| 1976 | 413 | #21 |
| 1975 | 408 | #21 |
| 1974 | 434 | #21 |
| 1973 | 529 | #14 |
| 1972 | 526 | #15 |
| 1971 | 574 | #12 |
| 1970 | 518 | #15 |
| 1969 | 413 | #20 |
| 1968 | 399 | #21 |
| 1967 | 366 | #21 |
| 1966 | 384 | #22 |
| 1965 | 412 | #18 |
| 1964 | 321 | #23 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.