| Phelan | Faolan | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | little wolf | little wolf |
| Origin | irish | irish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | FEE-lan | FWAY-lawn |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 0 |
| Peak year | 1996 (26) | 2023 (23) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Phelan | Faolan |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 52 | 72 |
| 2010s | 95 | 100 |
| 2000s | 115 | 25 |
| 1990s | 163 | 0 |
| 1980s | 80 | 0 |
| 1970s | 60 | 0 |
| 1960s | 5 | 0 |
| 1950s | 5 | 0 |
| 1940s | 6 | 0 |
Anglicised form of the Irish Faolan (via the surname O Faolain), from 'faol' ('wolf') plus the diminutive suffix '-an', meaning 'little wolf' or 'wolf cub'.
From the Irish 'faol' ('wolf') and the diminutive suffix '-an', meaning 'little wolf'. Borne by several early Irish saints; anglicised as Phelan or Whelan.
Phelan and Faolan are given to a similar number of US babies today.
Phelan means little wolf (irish origin), while Faolan means little wolf (irish origin).
In US records, Phelan first appears in 0 and Faolan in 0, so Phelan has the longer recorded history.