Declining since 2006.
Popularity of Dragan since 1961
Babies named Dragan per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2012, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Dragan's real moment was 1974.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 34 |
| 1970s | 48 |
| 1980s | 39 |
| 1990s | 11 |
| 2000s | 73 |
| 2010s | 50 |
| 2020s | 20 |
Meaning & origin
Dragan is a South Slavic name rooted in a word meaning 'dear' or 'beloved'. While it lacks a rank in U.S. popularity data, the Social Security Administration first recorded it in 1961. Its peak year came in 1974, and its trajectory has been falling since 2006, reflecting reduced usage among newer generations. The name is rarely given in the United States, with a one-in-N ratio too small to report. No single state shows a concentration, consistent with its status as an ethnic name maintained within immigrant communities.
Dragan is a common South Slavic masculine name derived from the Slavic root *dragъ meaning 'dear, beloved'. It is a short form of longer names such as Dragana or Dragoslav, or was directly formed from the adjective. The name has been in continuous use in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Slovenia, often as a given name or nickname. Its popularity in the region reflects its positive semantic connotation.
“Dragan” around the world
Where Dragan lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Drago
Variants: Dragan
Sibling names for Dragan
Names that share Dragan's style, for a brother or sister.
