Dan

See also: Appendix:Variations of "dan"

English

Etymology 1

Traditionally held to be derived from Hebrew דָּן (Dan), although recent scholars instead link the name to Denyen, the Sea Peoples.

Pronunciation

• enPR: dăn, IPA^(key): /ˈdæn/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æn

Proper noun

Dan (plural Dans)

1. A male given name from Hebrew.
   • 2020 April 29, Anna-Maja Rappard, “Dubious coronavirus claims by California doctors condemned by health experts”, in CNN‎^[2], archived from the original on 30 April 2020:

     A widely shared local television video of last week's news conference, which was posted on YouTube, reached more than 5 million views and was amplified by Elon Musk and Fox News, where Dr. Dan Erickson and Dr. Artin Massihi appeared on primetime shows two nights in a row.

2. A diminutive of the male given name Daniel.
   • 2013 May 22, Matt Higgins, “A Bruin and a Ranger Share a Bond While Dividing a City”, in The New York Times‎^[3], archived from the original on 12 September 2024:

     In Welland, a blue-collar burg between Buffalo and Toronto, [Daniel] Paille’s and [Dan] Girardi’s friends, relatives and fans will tune in to the latest installment of what some have labeled the Battle of Welland or the Battle of the Dans.

3. A diminutive of the female given name Danielle
   • 1988, Richard H. Palmer, The Critics' Canon: Standards of Theatrical Reviewing in America:

     […] the director of Wallace Shawn's Aunt Dan and Lemon replaces the characters' intellectual and verbal energy with "transparent rationalizations for the personal hang-ups of the characters […]

4. A surname.
6. (biblical) The fifth son of Jacob and Bilhah (who was Rachel's handmaid).
7. One of the Israelite tribes, descended from Dan.
8. A former city occupied by this tribe.
9. The Dan River, the principal tributary of the Jordan, named for the city.

Derived terms

• Danish
• Danite
• Dann
• Danny
• Dapper Dan

Related terms

• Daniel

Translations

fifth son of Jacob

• Danish: Dan
• Dutch: Dan m
• Finnish: Dan (fi)
• Hebrew: דָּן (he) (dan)
• Irish: Dán m
• Norwegian: Dan (no)
• Portuguese: Dã m
• Russian: Дан (ru) m (Dan)
• Spanish: Dan (es)
• Swedish: Dan (sv)

one of the Israelite tribes

• Dutch: Dan
• Hebrew: דָּן (he) (dan)
• Irish: Dán m
• Portuguese: Dã

male given name

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 丹 (zh) (Dān)

• Danish: Dan
• Dutch: Dan m
• Hebrew: דָּן (he) (dan)
• Japanese: ダン (ja) (Dan)
• Norwegian: Dan (no)
• Swedish: Dan (sv)

See also

• Dan (Bible) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 2

From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin 丹 (Dān, literally “cinnabar, red”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dæn/, /dɑn/
• enPR: dän

Proper noun

Dan

1. A river in Shaanxi, China.
   • 2021 June 23, “Press conference on 'Shaanxi: Carrying forward Yan'an spirit, endeavoring to write new chapter of accelerated growth in new era'”, in State Council Information Office‎^[4], archived from the original on 10 June 2022‎^[5]:

     Third, intensifying supervision over water sources for the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, of which approximately 70% of the water comes from the Han River and the Dan River. We have launched specialized campaigns in the two rivers and improved comprehensive management of the basin. A ten-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River has been enforced, which effectively ensured the water quality of the Han River and the Dan River. We will further step up efforts to ensure clear water for the North.

Alternative forms

• Tan (Wade–Giles)

Translations

river

• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 丹 (daan¹)

  Mandarin: 丹 (zh) (Dān)

• Japanese: please add this translation if you can

Further reading

• Saul B. Cohen, editor (2008), “Dan River”, in The Columbia Gazetteer of the World‎^[6], 2nd edition, volume 1, New York: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 964, column 1

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dæn/

Noun

Dan (plural Dans)

1. Alternative form of dan (title of honour).

Etymology 4

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dæn/

Proper noun

Dan

1. A Mande ethnic group from northwestern Ivory Coast and neighboring Liberia.
2. The language of this people, belonging to the Southern Mande branch.

Etymology 5

The name is first recorded in 1728.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dæn/

Proper noun

Dan

1. A river which flows 214 miles through the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia.
   • 1978, Frank Michael Boing, Net Primary Productivity of the Dan River Basin, North Carolina and Virginia:

     [see title]

   • 1984, Dr. Hoffman, [Testimony before the United States House Committee on Public Works and Transportation, Subcommittee on Water Resources] To Prohibit the Secretary of the Army from Issuing Certain Permits in Connection with a Proposed Water Pipeline Project Until an Environmental Impact Statement for that Project Has Been Completed: […] February 8, 1984, page 249:

     We in the Upper Dan watershed feel particularly vulnerable. Just to give you an idea of the stakes involved, if sufficient water is appropriated […]

   • 1986, North Carolina. Division of Water Resources, Dan River Basin Study, North Carolina: Phase I:

     [see title]

   • 2009, Katherine K. Mull, Dan River Basin Association, An Insider's Guide to the Dan River in North Carolina and Virginia: 125 Miles of Nature and History : Canoeing, Kayaking, Fishing, Hiking, River Heritage, Parks, Trails, →ISBN:

     [see title]

Anagrams

• -and, ADN, AND, DNA, NAD, NDA, and, and-, dna, nad

Albanian

Etymology

Dimunitve of Danjell (“Daniel”), Daniel (“id”) and Daniell (“id”). From Latin Daniēl (from Ancient Greek Δᾱνῑήλ (Dānīḗl), from Hebrew דָּנִיֵּאל).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dan/

Proper noun

Dan m (definite Dani)

1. (informal, diminutive) a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Dan
2. (informal, diminutive) a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Danny

Declension

Declension of Dan

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	Dan	Dani	Danë	Danët
accusative		Danin
dative	Dani	Danit	Danëve	Danëve
ablative			Danësh

Related terms

• Danjellë f, Danjelë f, Danielë f

Breton

Noun

Dan m (plural Daned)

1. Dane

Derived terms

• Danez

Mutation

Mutation of Dan

	unmutated	soft	aspirate	hard
singular	Dan	Zan	unchanged	Tan
plural	Daned	Zaned	unchanged	Taned

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Breton.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈdan]
• Rhymes: -an

Etymology 1

Proper noun

Dan m anim

1. (informal) a male given name, short form of Daniel

Declension

Declension of Dan (hard masculine animate)

	singular	plural
nominative	Dan	Danové
genitive	Dana	Danů
dative	Danovi, Danu	Danům
accusative	Dana	Dany
vocative	Dane	Danové
locative	Danovi, Danu	Danech
instrumental	Danem	Dany

Related terms

• Dana
• Daněk
• Daniel
• Daniela

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Proper noun

Dan

1. genitive plural of Dana

Anagrams

• And, dna, DNA, nad

Danish

Proper noun

Dan

1. (biblical) Dan.
2. a male given name derived from Old Norse Danr (“a Dane”)

Faroese

Proper noun

Dan m

1. a male given name

Usage notes

Patronymics

• son of Dan: Dansson
• daughter of Dan: Dansdóttir

Declension

	singular
	indefinite
nominative	Dan
accusative	Dan
dative	Dani
genitive	Dans

Finnish

Etymology

From Biblical Hebrew דָּן (Dan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɑn/, [ˈdɑ̝n]
• Rhymes: -ɑn
• Syllabification^(key): Dan
• Hyphenation^(key): Dan

Proper noun

Dan

1. (biblical) Dan.

Declension

Inflection of Dan (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		Dan	Danit
genitive		Danin	Danien
partitive		Dania	Daneja
illative		Daniin	Daneihin
		singular	plural
nominative		Dan	Danit
accusative	nom.	Dan	Danit
	gen.	Danin
genitive		Danin	Danien
partitive		Dania	Daneja
inessive		Danissa	Daneissa
elative		Danista	Daneista
illative		Daniin	Daneihin
adessive		Danilla	Daneilla
ablative		Danilta	Daneilta
allative		Danille	Daneille
essive		Danina	Daneina
translative		Daniksi	Daneiksi
abessive		Danitta	Daneitta
instructive		—	Danein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of Dan (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Danini Danini accusative nom. Danini Danini gen. Danini genitive Danini Danieni partitive Daniani Danejani inessive Danissani Daneissani elative Danistani Daneistani illative Daniini Daneihini adessive Danillani Daneillani ablative Daniltani Daneiltani allative Danilleni Daneilleni essive Daninani Daneinani translative Danikseni Daneikseni abessive Danittani Daneittani instructive — — comitative — Daneineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Danisi Danisi accusative nom. Danisi Danisi gen. Danisi genitive Danisi Daniesi partitive Daniasi Danejasi inessive Danissasi Daneissasi elative Danistasi Daneistasi illative Daniisi Daneihisi adessive Danillasi Daneillasi ablative Daniltasi Daneiltasi allative Danillesi Daneillesi essive Daninasi Daneinasi translative Daniksesi Daneiksesi abessive Danittasi Daneittasi instructive — — comitative — Daneinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Danimme Danimme accusative nom. Danimme Danimme gen. Danimme genitive Danimme Daniemme partitive Daniamme Danejamme inessive Danissamme Daneissamme elative Danistamme Daneistamme illative Daniimme Daneihimme adessive Danillamme Daneillamme ablative Daniltamme Daneiltamme allative Danillemme Daneillemme essive Daninamme Daneinamme translative Daniksemme Daneiksemme abessive Danittamme Daneittamme instructive — — comitative — Daneinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Daninne Daninne accusative nom. Daninne Daninne gen. Daninne genitive Daninne Danienne partitive Danianne Danejanne inessive Danissanne Daneissanne elative Danistanne Daneistanne illative Daniinne Daneihinne adessive Danillanne Daneillanne ablative Daniltanne Daneiltanne allative Danillenne Daneillenne essive Daninanne Daneinanne translative Daniksenne Daneiksenne abessive Danittanne Daneittanne instructive — — comitative — Daneinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative Daninsa Daninsa accusative nom. Daninsa Daninsa gen. Daninsa genitive Daninsa Daniensa partitive Daniaan Daniansa Danejaan Danejansa inessive Danissaan Danissansa Daneissaan Daneissansa elative Danistaan Danistansa Daneistaan Daneistansa illative Daniinsa Daneihinsa adessive Danillaan Danillansa Daneillaan Daneillansa ablative Daniltaan Daniltansa Daneiltaan Daneiltansa allative Danilleen Danillensa Daneilleen Daneillensa essive Daninaan Daninansa Daneinaan Daneinansa translative Danikseen Daniksensa Daneikseen Daneiksensa abessive Danittaan Danittansa Daneittaan Daneittansa instructive — — comitative — Daneineen Daneinensa

Anagrams

• DNA

Icelandic

Proper noun

Dan m (proper noun, genitive singular Dans)

1. a male given name

Declension

Declension of Dan (sg-only masculine)

indefinite singular
nominative	Dan
accusative	Dan
dative	Dan
genitive	Dans

Japanese

Romanization

Dan

1. Rōmaji transcription of だん

Lower Sorbian

Etymology

From Danish Daner (“Danes”), from Old Norse Danir.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dan/

Noun

Dan (feminine Danowka)

1. Dane (person from Denmark or of Danish descent)

Declension

Declension of Dan

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	Dan	Dana	Dany
Genitive	Dana	Danowu	Danow
Dative	Danoju	Danoma	Danam
Accusative	Dana	Danowu	Dany, Danow
Instrumental	Danom	Danoma	Danami
Locative	Danje	Danoma	Danach

Further reading

• Starosta, Manfred (1999), “Dan”, in Dolnoserbsko-nimski słownik / Niedersorbisch-deutsches Wörterbuch (in German), Bautzen: Domowina-Verlag

Middle English

Noun

Dan

1. alternative form of Dane

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

As a biblical character from Hebrew דָּן (Dan). The given name comes from Old Norse Danr, from danr (“Dane”), but also from the biblical name.

Proper noun

Dan m (definite Danen)

1. (biblical) Dan
2. a male given name from Old Norse, equivalent to English Dane
3. a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Dan

Related terms

• dan, dane (“Dane”)

References

• Eivind Vågslid (1988), “Dan”, in Norderlendske fyrenamn (in Norwegian Nynorsk), →ISBN, page 77

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdan/ [ˈd̪ãn]
• Rhymes: -an
• Syllabification: Dan

Proper noun

Dan m

1. Dan (Biblical character and tribe)
   • 1602 — La Santa Biblia (antigua versión de Casiodoro de Reina), rev., Génesis 35:22b-26

     Ahora bien, los hijos de Israel fueron doce: ²³ Los hijos de Lea : Rúben el primogénito de Jacob, y Simeón, y Leví, y Judá, é Issachâr, y Zabulón. ²⁴ Los hijos de Rachêl : José, y Benjamín. ²⁵ Y los hijos de Bilha, sierva de Rachêl : Dan, y Nephtalí. ²⁶ Y los hijos de Zilpa, sierva de Lea : Gad, y Aser. Estos fueron los hijos de Jacob, que le nacieron en Padan-aram.

     Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: ²³ The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: ²⁴ The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: ²⁵ And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: ²⁶ And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.

     (KJV)

Swedish

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Old Norse Danr (“a Dane”).

Proper noun

Dan

1. a male given name from Old Norse

Etymology 2

From Latin Daniel, from Ancient Greek Δᾱνῑήλ (Dānīḗl), from Hebrew דָּנִיֵּאל (daniyél, literally “God is my judge”), name borne from the prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel.

Proper noun

Dan (casual pet form Danne)

1. (biblical) Dan
2. a male given name from Hebrew, derived from the son of Jacob
3. a male given name from Hebrew, derived from the prophet Daniel
5. abbreviation of Daniel (biblical book): Dan.

Anagrams

• -nad, and