UK boy's name
Dellan
A diminutive of the Irish name Dallan meaning "great valor".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2007. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Dellan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Dellan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2007 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4333, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2007 to 2007. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Dellan is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Dellan. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2008 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Dellan ranked #4333 for boys in England and Wales in 2007, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 3 boys were registered as Dellan.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dellan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4333
2007
Births in 2007
3
Latest year
Peak year
2007
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Dellan mean?
The name Dellan is derived from the Irish Gaelic language and has its roots in the ancient Celtic culture. It is believed to have originated sometime during the medieval period in Ireland, which was heavily influenced by the Celts.
Dellan is a variant spelling of the name Delan, which itself is a diminutive form of the Irish name Dálan. The name Dálan is thought to be derived from the Old Irish word "dál," meaning "assembly" or "meeting." This suggests that the name may have been associated with gatherings, councils, or assemblies in ancient Irish society.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Dellan can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The Annals refer to a figure named Dellan, who was the bishop of Ard Brenain (modern-day Ardbraccan, County Meath) in the 7th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Dellan. One of the most famous was Dellan of Inishcaltra, an Irish monk and scholar who lived in the 8th century. He was the founder of the monastic school on the island of Inishcaltra (Holy Island) in Lough Derg, and his writings on the lives of Irish saints are considered valuable historical sources.
Another prominent figure was Dellan of Lleyn, a 5th-century Welsh saint and missionary who is believed to have established several churches in the region of Lleyn, in northwest Wales. He is revered as the patron saint of the former kingdom of Gwynedd.
In the 12th century, there was a notable Irish churchman named Dellan, who served as the Bishop of Ardagh from 1175 to 1182. He played a role in the ecclesiastical affairs of Ireland during the Norman invasion.
Moving forward in time, one of the more recent historical figures with the name Dellan was Dellan O'Higgins (1857-1928), an Irish politician and member of the Irish Parliamentary Party. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Leitrim North constituency from 1900 to 1918.
Another individual worth mentioning is Dellan White (1884-1956), an Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club in the early 20th century. He was a member of Carlton's premiership-winning team in 1908 and is regarded as one of the club's greatest players from that era.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Dellan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dellan was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4333 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Dellan
- Daniel 120,900
- Dylan 60,836
- David 37,852
- Dominic 20,480
- Declan 11,657
- Dexter 11,627
- Danny 8,434
- Dean 5,329
- Dillon 4,113
- Douglas 3,773
- Dominik 3,494
- Damian 3,486
FAQ
Dellan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Dellan in the UK right now?
In 2007, Dellan was ranked #4333 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Dellan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 3 babies registered as Dellan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Dellan?
A diminutive of the Irish name Dallan meaning "great valor".
How many people are called Dellan in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Dellan across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.