The first name Donovan
A boy’s name meaning “brown”, “black”.
Pronounced /ˈdɒnəvɪn/ 3 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Donovan means “brown”, “black”.
From Irish Ó Donndubháin (“descendant of (a person named) brown & black”), from donn (“brown”) and dubh (“black”).
More names that mean black.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 28 boys were named Donovan, making it the 1,066th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2008, with 34 births (#818).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Donovan with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Donovan at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 609 boys born in the United States were named Donovan, the 496th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2003, when 2,211 were.
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.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Donovan
17 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Donovan BaileyCanadian athlete, Olympic medalist, born 1967
- Donovan ScottAmerican actor, born 1947
- Donovan DijakAmerican professional wrestler, born 1987
- Donovan ClinganAmerican basketball player (born 2004)
- Donovan RuddockCanadian boxer, born 1963
- Donovan LéonFrench footballer, born 1992
- Donovan McNabbAmerican football player (born 1976)
- Donovan LeitchBritish actor and film director (born 1967)
- Donovan PattonAmerican actor (born 1978)
- Donovan Stewart CorrellAmerican botanist (1908-1983)
- Donovan PinesAmerican soccer player, born 1998
- Donovan SlijngardDutch footballer, born 1987
Questions
- What does the name Donovan mean?
- Donovan means “brown”, “black”.
- How popular is the name Donovan?
- In 2025, 28 boys born in England and Wales were named Donovan, ranking 1,066th. Its peak was 2008, with 34 births.
- Is Donovan a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 61,904 US babies named Donovan since 1880 were boys.
- When was Donovan most popular?
- 2003 in the United States, when 2,211 babies were named Donovan, its highest rank at 176th.
- How do you pronounce Donovan?
- Donovan is /ˈdɒnəvɪn/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Donovan?
- Donavan.
- Is Donovan also a surname?
- Yes. Donovan is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.