The first name Conan
A boy’s name from Irish meaning “dog”.
Pronounced /ˈkoʊnən/ 2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Irish origin
Conan means “dog” in Irish.
From Irish Conán, from Middle Irish Conán, from Primitive Irish ᚉᚑᚅᚐᚅᚅ (conann), a derivative of Proto-Celtic *kū (“dog”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 23 boys were named Conan, making it the 1,226th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2023, with 30 births (#987).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Conan with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Conan at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 98 boys born in the United States were named Conan, the 1,678th most popular boys’ name that year.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Conan in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Conan in French too.
Famous people named Conan
9 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Arthur Conan DoyleBritish writer and physician (1859–1930)
- Conan O'BrienAmerican television show host and comedian, born 1963
- Conan GrayAmerican singer-songwriter Mateo's boyfriend, born 1998
- Conan I of RennesDuke of Brittany from 990 to 992
- Conan II, Duke of BrittanyDuke of Brittany, 1030–1066
- Conan III, Duke of BrittanyDuke of Brittany from 1112 to 1148
- Conan IV, Duke of BrittanyDuke of Brittany from 1156 to 1166
- Conan StevensAustralian actor, author and wrestler, born 1969
- Adrian Conan DoyleEnglish scion and writer (1910–1970)
More Irish boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Conan mean?
- Conan means “dog” in Irish.
- What is the origin of the name Conan?
- From Irish Conán, from Middle Irish Conán, from Primitive Irish ᚉᚑᚅᚐᚅᚅ (conann), a derivative of Proto-Celtic *kū (“dog”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ.
- How popular is the name Conan?
- In 2025, 23 boys born in England and Wales were named Conan, ranking 1,226th. Its peak was 2023, with 30 births.
- Is Conan a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 2,438 US babies named Conan since 1880 were boys.
- When was Conan most popular?
- 2025 in the United States, when 98 babies were named Conan, its highest rank at 1,678th.
- How do you pronounce Conan?
- Conan is /ˈkoʊnən/, 2 syllables.