Danny
Danny is a masculine given name. It is often a diminutive form of the given name Daniel.
- English
- Dutch
- German
Meaning & Origin of Danny
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Danny is a masculine given name. It is often a diminutive form of the given name Daniel.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Dutch
- German
The Story of Danny
Danny first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1900, with 7 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1954: 9,105 births, good for #42 nationwide. The 1950s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 30% of all recorded Dannys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #651 among baby boy names with 427 births, falling sharply (-16%). In total, more than 287K Dannys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Danny
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Danny. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Danny
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Danny
Phonetically similar names — useful when Danny 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 Danny
What does the name Danny mean?
What is the origin of the name Danny?
How popular is Danny in 2026?
When was Danny most popular?
In which U.S. states is Danny most popular?
Is Danny a unisex name?
What names go well with Danny?
What are nicknames or variants of Danny?
About the name Danny
Danny is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1900 and has accumulated 287K births in the dataset. Danny's peak popularity came in 1954 when it ranked #39. Use the chart and map above to compare Danny's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1954 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- 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.