Desmond
How to say it: DEZ-mund · /ˈdɛzmənd/
From south Munster; from Irish 'Deas-Mhumhain', an Irish territorial surname used as a first name.
Desmond was the 387th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 839 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2010s, its births are down about 13% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #419 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #387 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 839 |
| Share of births | 1 in 3,951 |
| Peak decade | 2010s |
| Change over 10 years | −13% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #419 |
| In France, 2025 | #2,436 among boys’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Holding near the top after a 2010s peak, Desmond is still well used at that level. A gentle slip is foreseen ahead.
What goes with it
Crisp at the start, uttered DEZ mund, it sounds strong and grounded. Brendan matches its Irish cadence, and Des serves as a clipped short form.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Desmond is about 1 in 165.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French.
In France: #2,436 for boys in 2025.
Ireland: #409.
Famous people named Desmond
- Desmond Tutu (1931–2021)South African churchman, politician, archbishop, Nobel Prize winner
- Desmond Harrington (born 1976)American actor
- Desmond Doss (1919–2006)American solder, pacifist, and combat medic; recipient of the Purple Heart medal, recipient of the Medal of Honor (1919–2007) Un gran hombre en la vida militar.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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