Donovan is a name of Irish origin that has been popular in various forms throughout history. The name comes from the Irish surname Ó Domhnaill, which means "descendant of Donnell." Donnell is derived from the ancient Irish personal name Domhnall, meaning "world-mighty" or "strength of the world."
The earliest known bearer of this name was Donovan O'Connor, a 12th-century Irish chieftain who founded the clan O'Donnell. The O'Donnell clan became one of the most powerful families in Ireland during the Middle Ages, and their influence can still be seen today.
Over time, the name Donovan has become popular beyond its Irish roots. It gained significant popularity in the United States in the 20th century, particularly after the success of singer-songwriter Donovan Phillips Leitch, who was known simply as Donovan and achieved international fame in the 1960s.
Today, Donovan is considered a modern classic name, still carrying the strength and power associated with its Irish origin while also appealing to parents seeking unique yet familiar names for their children. It has consistently ranked among the top 1,000 baby names in the United States since the 1970s.
Based on the statistics provided for the name Donavon in the United States from 1915 to 2023, we can observe several trends over time.
From 1915 to 1945, the number of births with the name Donavon fluctuated between a low of 7 births in 1915 and a high of 37 births in 1936. The name's popularity began to increase significantly in the late 1940s and early 1950s, reaching its peak with 79 births in 1971.
The popularity of Donavon continued to rise throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with a significant spike occurring between 1988 (109 births) and 1993 (124 births). The name's peak popularity was reached in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with over 150 births annually between 1997 and 2002.
However, beginning in the mid-2000s, the popularity of Donavon started to decline. By 2023, the number of births with this name had fallen to 28, representing a significant decrease from its peak nearly three decades earlier.
Overall, while Donavon experienced periods of both growth and decline in popularity over the past century, it has nonetheless remained a recognizable and distinct name within American culture. Despite its current lower popularity compared to its peak years, there continues to be new parents each year who choose this unique moniker for their children.