Phelan
How to say it: FAY-lun · /ˈfeɪlən/
From Irish O'Faolain 'descendant of wolf' - from Old Irish 'faol' meaning wolf.
Phelan was the 3,631st most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 5 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1990s, its births are down about 18% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #2,964 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #3,631 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 5 |
| Share of births | 1 in 144,145 |
| Peak decade | 1990s |
| Change over 10 years | −18% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #2,964 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Phelan has never gone out of use: even its quietest decade kept at least a quarter of its peak.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Phelan is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, Irish.
Famous people named Phelan
- Phelan Hill (born 1979)British rower
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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