Girls' name · since 1912

Dian

Since 1912, U.S. Social Security records show 5,369 babies named Dian, peaking in 1946. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#2,451 of 72,339
all-time among girls
5,369
born since 1912
1940s
peak decade

5,369 girls have been named Dian since 1912, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

Social Security Administration records show Dian recorded 5,369 times among girls since 1912, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1940s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2015.

  • #2,451 of 72,339 all-time among girls
  • 5,369 born since 1912
  • 1940s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Dian ranks #2,451 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 5,369 born since 1912, peaking in the 1940s.

#2,451 of 72,339
all-time among girls
5,369
born since 1912
1940s
peak decade
Upper archive tier
All-time archive position

Dian's 5,369 recorded births place it above 96.61% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.

33 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

33 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.

Dian's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Dian's full recorded timeline at 1965, 14% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 86% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1912, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1946 peak of 287 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Dian popularity over time - girls

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2015

Last recorded 2015
Peak year (1946)
287
Annual births at peak, across 104 years of records
0100200300400 191219331944195519661977198819992015 5

Dian popularity over time - boys

209 total births recorded since 1952 (Dian as boys' name)

Unisex variant - 209 births
0510152025 195220012007201020132017202020232025 11

Dian by decade

1940s is the heaviest window (1,978 births, 37% of the file).

1940s was Dian's strongest decade.

1,978 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.

Dian births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1940s at 1,978 births (37% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Dian compares to similarly-sized names

Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Dian's total volume

Dian vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 2%4%6%8%10% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -80, 3.3%-32, 7.7%-79, 8.7%-146, 2.6%-42, 6.5%-76, 5.5%-57, 6.1%-103, 4.3%-44, 5.8%-35, 6.6%-142, 4.8%-29, 8.5%-43, 4.8%-104, 3.1%-71, 3.1%Dian-104, 5.3%Dian
Dian vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Dian by state

Where Dian concentrates geographically, total births since 1912

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Dian
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 California
480 8.9%
#2 Texas
295 5.5%
#3 Pennsylvania
247 4.6%
#4 New York
233 4.3%
#5 Ohio
222 4.1%
#6 Michigan
204 3.8%
#7 Illinois
192 3.6%
#8 Indiana
115 2.1%
California share of Dian's total US births 8.9%
Even split

480 of 5,369 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 33 reporting states.

Dian appears in 33 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Dian?
5,369 babies have been named Dian since 1912. All-time, it sits at #2,451 of 72,339 girls' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 2015. The peak year was 1946 with 287 births.
Where does Dian sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Dian ranks #2,451 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Dian most popular?
Dian was most popular in the 1940s decade with 1,978 total births. The single peak year was 1946.
Where is Dian most popular?
The top states for the name Dian are California (480 births), Texas (295 births), Pennsylvania (247 births).
How long has the name Dian been used?
The SSA has tracked Dian since 1912 -- 104 years through the most recent 2015 data.
What names are similar to Dian?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Diane, Diana, Dianne, Dianna, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Dian's data

  • Dian's decade-level peak was the 1940s (1,978 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • California records the most Dians (480 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Dian

Nearby Names Like Dian

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dian

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Dian: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.

Data Sources

Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.

Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1912–2015 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Dian draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.