Conan

Meaning & origin

Conan has been in use in the United States since at least 1923, though for decades it remained a rare choice. Its popularity has been rising steadily since 1991, and it reached a new peak in 2025, when it ranked 1677 nationally. At that time, approximately 1 in every 17,429 newborn boys was named Conan. The name is most popular in Arizona, Illinois, and North Carolina. This modern resurgence owes much to cultural figures such as the fictional barbarian created by Robert E. Howard and the beloved late-night host Conan O'Brien, both of which have given the name a recognizable and friendly image. Despite its ancient Gaelic roots, Conan feels contemporary and approachable, appealing to parents seeking a strong yet not overly common name with Celtic heritage.

Conan derives from the Old Irish cú (meaning hound or wolf), combined with a diminutive suffix -án, thus 'little wolf' or 'little hound'. It was a common name among early Irish saints, including Saint Conan, and later spread to Scotland. The name has been in occasional use in English-speaking countries since the 19th century, boosted in modern times by the fame of writer Robert E. Howard's character Conan the Barbarian (1930s) and talk show host Conan O'Brien.