Dalian
Dalian is a major prefecture-level, sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city and the third-most populous city of Northeast China. Located on the southern tip of the Liaodong peninsula, it is the southernmost city in both Liaoning and the entire Northeast.
Meaning & Origin of Dalian
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dalian is a major prefecture-level, sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city and the third-most populous city of Northeast China. Located on the southern tip of the Liaodong peninsula, it is the southernmost city in both Liaoning and the entire Northeast.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Dalian
Dalian first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2001, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 6 Dalians were born — ranking #10,716 that year. As of 2026, Dalian ranks #12,182 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 21 Dalians have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Dalian
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Xia Deren ( 夏德仁 ), former mayor from October 2006 to May 2009.
- Li Changchun ( 李长春 ), politician, former member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party .
- Bo Xilai ( 薄熙来 ), former mayor (February 1993 – August 2000), removed from Politburo under corruption charges.
- Lai Yawen ( 赖亚文 ), retired middle blocker, former captain and current team manager of the China women's national volleyball team .
- Sun Jiadong ( 孙家栋 ), aerospace engineer and recipient of the " Two Bombs, One Satellite " Meritorious Award.
- Qi Faren ( 戚发轫 ), aerospace engineer and chief designer of the Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou .
- Zhao Xiaozhe ( 赵晓哲 ), vice admiral of the PLA
- Liu Yanan ( 刘亚男 ), retired middle blocker of the China women's national volleyball team .
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Dalian
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dalian is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dalian
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About the name Dalian
Dalian is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2001 and has accumulated 21 births in the dataset. Dalian's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #10,716. Use the chart and map above to compare Dalian's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2014 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.