Total births
5,369
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.
- 5,369
- total births
- 1912–2015
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 37%
- born in that 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.
- 5,369 total births
- 1912–2015 years on record
- 1940s peak decade
- 37% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
5,369 girls have been named Dian since 1912, peaking in the 1940s, last recorded in 2015.
- 5,369
- total births
- 1912–2015
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 37%
- born in that decade
1940s
Peak decade
37% of everyone ever named Dian was born in this single decade.
1946
Single peak year
287 babies were named Dian in 1946 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 2015Peak year
1946
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1912
Dian popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2015
- Peak year (1946)
- 287
- Annual births at peak, across 104 years of records
Dian popularity over time - boys
209 total births recorded since 1952 (Dian as boys' name)
Dian by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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
- 1910s 5
1910s
5 births
- 1920s 60
1920s
60 births
- 1930s 579
1930s
579 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,978 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,538 births
- 1960s 716
1960s
716 births
- 1970s 205
1970s
205 births
- 1980s 149
1980s
149 births
- 1990s 86
1990s
86 births
- 2000s 48
2000s
48 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 1,978 births (37% of all-time use).
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
Dian by state
Where Dian concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| 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. It was last recorded in 2015. The peak year was 1946 with 287 births.
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
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare 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
Diane Girl
#2251 518,651 births
Diana Girl
#242 368,487 births
Dianne Girl
#8471 95,289 births
Dianna Girl
#2472 56,292 births
Diamond Girl
#1616 33,733 births
Compare Dian side by side: Dian vs Diane Dian vs Diana Dian vs Dianne
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dian: Baby Name Since 1912 - 5,369 Births, Peak 1946." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dian. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 June 2026.