Desmond
Desmond is a given name and a surname, derived from the Irish place-name Desmond, an anglicization of the Irish Deas-Mhumhna. The Irish peerages of Ormonde, Desmond, and Thomond represented the old sub-kingdoms of East, South, and North Munster, respectively. South Munster existed as an independent territory between 1118 and 1543.
Meaning & Origin of Desmond
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Desmond is a given name and a surname, derived from the Irish place-name Desmond, an anglicization of the Irish Deas-Mhumhna. The Irish peerages of Ormonde, Desmond, and Thomond represented the old sub-kingdoms of East, South, and North Munster, respectively. South Munster existed as an independent territory between 1118 and 1543.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Desmond
Desmond first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1904, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1992, when 1,068 Desmonds were born — ranking #265 that year. As of 2026, Desmond ranks #379 for baby boys with 862 births, gradually falling (-9%). In total, more than 41K Desmonds have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Desmond
Phonetically similar names — useful when Desmond 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 Desmond
What does the name Desmond mean?
How popular is Desmond in 2026?
When was Desmond most popular?
In which U.S. states is Desmond most popular?
Is Desmond a unisex name?
What names go well with Desmond?
About the name Desmond
Desmond is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1904 and has accumulated 41K births in the dataset. Desmond's peak popularity came in 1992 when it ranked #265. Use the chart and map above to compare Desmond's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1992 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- 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.