UK boy's name
Dusan
A masculine Slavic name derived from the Greek Desiderius, meaning "desired".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Dusan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Dusan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4001, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 10 births.
This profile covers 59 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 1999 to 2022. 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.
The latest count is about 40% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 59 living people in the UK are called Dusan. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Dusan ranked #4001 for boys in England and Wales in 2022, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 10 boys were registered as Dusan.
- • About 59 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dusan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4001
2022
Births in 2022
4
Latest year
Peak year
2009
10 births
Estimated living
59
2026
Meaning
What does Dusan mean?
The name Dusan has its origins in the Slavic languages, particularly Serbian and Croatian. It is derived from the Slavic word "duša," meaning "soul" or "spirit." The name is thought to have emerged around the 9th or 10th century AD in the regions of the Balkans.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Dusan can be found in the Serbian epic poetry cycle, the "Kosovo Cycle," which recounts the Battle of Kosovo in 1389. The cycle features a character named Dusan the Dreadful, a powerful medieval Serbian ruler.
The most notable historical figure bearing the name Dusan was Stefan Uroš IV Dušan, also known as Tsar Dusan the Mighty (1308-1355). He was the ruler of the Serbian Empire from 1331 to 1355 and is credited with expanding the empire to its greatest territorial extent, stretching from the Danube River to the Gulf of Corinth.
Another significant historical figure was Dusan Silni (1271-1314), a Serbian nobleman and military commander who played a crucial role in the rise of the Serbian Empire under Stefan Milutin and Stefan Dečanski.
In the 16th century, Dusan Predojevic (1555-1611) was a Serbian scholar, writer, and translator who made significant contributions to the development of the Serbian language and literature.
During the 19th century, Dusan Petrovic-Njegosh (1834-1851) was a Montenegrin prince and poet, known for his work "The Ray of the Microcosm," which explored philosophical and religious themes.
More recently, Dusan Makavejev (1932-2019) was a Serbian film director and screenwriter who gained international recognition for his avant-garde and satirical films, such as "WR: Mysteries of the Organism" (1971) and "Sweet Movie" (1974).
The name Dusan has maintained its popularity in various Slavic cultures, particularly in Serbia, Montenegro, and Croatia, and has been carried by notable figures throughout history, reflecting its cultural significance and enduring legacy.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Dusan over time
The chart below shows babies named Dusan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Dusan, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2022, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dusan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dusan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4395 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3939 | 29 | 7 |
| 2000s | #2782 | 20 | 3 |
| 1990s | #2943 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Dusan
- 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
Dusan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Dusan in the UK right now?
In 2022, Dusan was ranked #4001 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Dusan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 10 babies registered as Dusan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Dusan?
A masculine Slavic name derived from the Greek Desiderius, meaning "desired".
How many people are called Dusan in the UK?
A total of 59 babies have been registered as Dusan across the 13 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.