How to say it
DON · o · van
/ˈdɒn.ə.vən/
Masculine
Donovan
Dark chieftain
What it means
An Irish surname from Ó Donnabháin, 'descendant of the dark or brown-haired chieftain.'
Donovan is an anglicized Irish surname from Ó Donnabháin, joining donn, 'dark or brown,' to a root for 'chieftain,' so 'dark-haired little chief.' It crossed into first-name use and got a folk-rock glow from the 1960s singer Donovan. Smooth and confident, with Don as the short. Said DON-uh-vun.
Popularity over time
peaked at #176 in 2003, currently #496 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Don.
- Pop culture
1960s folk singer Donovan.
Spelling variants
- Donavan
- Donovon
- Donnubhan
Names with the same feeling
See Donovan from another angle
By style