Whelan
A masculine Irish name derived from the Gaelic words "faol" and "án" meaning "wolf" and "little".
Name Census estimates that about 73 living Americans carry the first name Whelan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Whelan today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Whelan births was 2022 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Whelan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Whelan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
73
~ 1 in 4,695,265 Americans
Peak year
2022
15 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,253
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Whelan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Whelan from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 37 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Whelan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Whelan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Whelan
The name Whelan has its origins in the Irish language and culture. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "faolán," which means "little wolf" or "wolf cub." This name gained prominence in the early medieval period in Ireland, particularly among the Gaelic clans and families of the time.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Whelan can be traced back to the 9th and 10th centuries. It was commonly found in ancient Irish texts and manuscripts, often referring to warriors, poets, or prominent figures from that era. The name's association with wolves may have been a symbolic representation of strength, bravery, and resilience.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Whelan was Faolán mac Crundmáel, a renowned Irish ecclesiastic and scribe who lived in the 8th century. He was known for his contributions to the preservation of ancient Irish literature and his work in the monasteries of Ireland.
In the 12th century, Faolán Ó Siridán was a notable Irish poet and historian from County Meath. His writings and compositions were widely celebrated and helped to preserve the cultural heritage of Ireland during that period.
The name Whelan also appeared in the annals of medieval Scotland, where it was anglicized as "Whellan" or "Whillan." One notable figure was Sir John Whellan, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.
During the 16th century, the name Whelan gained prominence in the literary circles of Ireland. Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn, a renowned Irish poet and scholar from County Sligo, was known by the name Whelan. His works played a significant role in preserving the Irish language and culture during a time of great upheaval.
In the 19th century, Michael Whelan, an Irish painter and illustrator, gained recognition for his works depicting scenes from Irish mythology and folklore. His vibrant and evocative paintings helped to revive interest in Ireland's rich cultural heritage.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Whelan throughout history, highlighting its longstanding presence and cultural significance in Ireland and beyond.
People
Whelan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Whelan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Whelan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Whelan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 73 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Whelan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 4,695,265 US residents.
Is Whelan a common name?
We classify Whelan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 60% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 74 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Whelan most popular?
The single biggest year for Whelan was 2022, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Whelan is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Whelan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Whelan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Whelan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Whelan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Whelan in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Whelan can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Whelan?
You can see how many Americans are named Whelan on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.