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    The first name Dane

    A boy’s name from Norse.

    Pronounced /deɪn/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Norse origin

    From Middle English Dane, from Old Norse danir or Old English Dene. Both forms ultimately descend from Proto-Germanic *daniz.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 9 boys were named Dane, making it the 2,440th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2001, with 110 births (#256).

    0100200 1996200020052010201520202025
    918
    babies named Dane, 1996–2025
    #2,440
    rank in 2025
    2001
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Dane with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Dane at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 301 boys born in the United States were named Dane, the 821st most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1986, when 1,069 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    33,979
    babies named Dane since 1880
    #821
    rank in 2025
    1986
    peak 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.

    Famous people named Dane

    13 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Dane DeHaan
      American actor, born 1986
    • Dane Cook
      American actor and comedian, born 1972
    • Dane Clark
      American film actor (1912-1998)
    • Dane Bird-Smith
      Australian racewalker (born 1992)
    • Dane Scarlett
      English footballer, born 2004
    • Dane Rudhyar
      French-born American author, composer, and humanistic astrologer (1895–1985)
    • Dane Witherspoon
      American actor (1957-2014)
    • Dane Cameron
      American racing driver, born 1988
    • Dane Watts
      American basketball player, born 1986
    • Dane Bowers
      British singer, born 1979
    • Jared McCain
      American basketball player (born 2004)
    • Steve Russell
      American politician, soldier, born 1963

    More Norse boys’ names

    All 32 names of Norse origin

    Questions

    What does the name Dane mean?
    From Middle English Dane, from Old Norse danir or Old English Dene. Both forms ultimately descend from Proto-Germanic *daniz.
    What is the origin of the name Dane?
    From Middle English Dane, from Old Norse danir or Old English Dene. Both forms ultimately descend from Proto-Germanic *daniz.
    How popular is the name Dane?
    In 2025, 9 boys born in England and Wales were named Dane, ranking 2,440th. Its peak was 2001, with 110 births.
    Is Dane a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 33,979 US babies named Dane since 1880 were boys.
    When was Dane most popular?
    1986 in the United States, when 1,069 babies were named Dane, its highest rank at 221st.
    How do you pronounce Dane?
    Dane is /deɪn/, one syllable.
    Is Dane also a surname?
    Yes. Dane is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.