Given name & surname
Phelan
“resembling a wolf”
Phelan is used as a given name and a surname. One interpretation is “resembling a wolf.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “resembling a wolf.”
How it developed
In English usage, Phelan developed from Ó Faoláin.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1949. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Phelan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 649
- 581 boys · 68 girls
- Most popular year
- 1996
- 26 babies
- 2025
- 5
- #13,402 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −14%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 5 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 13,402 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 4.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 26 in 1996. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 618 as a first name in 2020; 10,291 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Phelan’s family of names
In English usage, Phelan shares an earlier linguistic root with WHELAN. Phelan has a related form in Phelam. Phelan has a related form in Phelim.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Phelan
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Phelan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ernan
>99% boys
Dolan
“a dark-haired man; one who is bold”
>99% boys
Kaelan
“a mighty warrior”
85% boys · 15% girls
Tynan
“one who is dark and dusty”
>99% boys
Curran
“one who wields a dagger; a hero”
>99% boys
Colman
“one who burns charcoal; resembling a dove”
>99% boys
Dugan
“a dark and swarthy man”
>99% boys
Sheehan
“little peaceful one; peacemaker” · “a small and peaceful man”
93% boys · 7% girls