Danny
Boy name · Celtic Gaelic · Hebrew
MeaningGod is my judge · English form of Daniel
- US rank
- #628
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #39 in 1950
445 babies were named Danny in the US in 2025. It has dropped 61 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1900–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Danny you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Danny
Danny Boyle
English filmmaker
Choose Danny and your child shares a first name with Danny Boyle, an English filmmaker. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Danny, like who?” Danny Boyle's Wikipedia article is available in 78 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Danny Boyle on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Montclair Film, CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 3,839 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Danny, 445 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Danny would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryDanny first shows up in US birth records in 1900, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 125 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1950, when it ranked #39. Today it's #628, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowDanny was 2.1× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 1,855 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 3,839.
- TrendDanny has slipped 61 places over the last five years and now sits at #628. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedDanny is most popular in New Mexico, where it ranks #213, followed by California (#422) and Texas (#485). It's in the top 1,000 in 26 states.
- MeaningDanny is an English form of Daniel, which means “God is my judge”. Our records link it to Celtic Gaelic and Hebrew roots.
- OriginDanny is the #5 most popular Celtic Gaelic boy name in the US. That's out of 115 Celtic Gaelic boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Danny
Danny is a boy name of Celtic Gaelic and Hebrew origin meaning “God is my judge”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with D and ending in “-nny”. US birth records list Danny for boys from 1900 to 2025, in 125 of those 126 years. Its best year was 1950, when it ranked #39 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #628, with 445 babies.
Origin:Celtic Gaelic namesHebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 49 | 20,416 boys |
| 1910s | 54 | 18,376 boys |
| 1920s | 159 | 6,309 boys |
| 1930s | 679 | 1,472 boys |
| 1940s | 2,951 | 339 boys |
| 1950s | 4,294 | 233 boys |
| 1960s | 3,104 | 322 boys |
| 1970s | 1,745 | 573 boys |
| 1980s | 1,087 | 920 boys |
| 1990s | 706 | 1,417 boys |
| 2000s | 529 | 1,891 boys |
| 2010s | 377 | 2,651 boys |
| 2020s | 273 | 3,669 boys |
Other spellings of Danny
More Celtic Gaelic boy names
- Boy name: Bowen · son of Owen
- Boy name: Malcolm · devotee of Saint Columba
- Boy name: Calum · dove
- Unisex name: Bowie · yellow-haired
- Boy name: Cian · ancient
- Unisex name: Naveen · new
- Boy name: Earl · nobleman
- Unisex name: Kerry · land of Ciar's people
Questions about the name Danny
What does the name Danny mean?
Danny means “God is my judge” in English, as a form of Daniel.
What is the origin of the name Danny?
Danny has Celtic Gaelic, Hebrew roots in our records. Other Celtic Gaelic names include Bowen, Malcolm, Calum.
Is Danny a boy or girl name?
Danny is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Danny?
Danny ranked #628 for US boys in 2025, given to 445 babies. Its best year was 1950 (#39).