Dennis
Dennis is a girl's name of Greek origin.
Meaning
Follower of Dionysos.
Origin and history
Dennis is historically a masculine name derived from Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and fertility. Although overwhelmingly given to boys in the United States, it has recorded rare feminine usage as a given name. Its usage for female infants has remained very low in recent decades.
Popularity in the United States
2,692 babies in the United States have been named Dennis since 1880. It ranks #3403 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #2077.
States where it is most popular
- CA (43.4 %)
- NY (12.2 %)
- TX (8.7 %)
- PA (8.2 %)
- OH (7.1 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 37 |
| 1920-1930 | 96 |
| 1930-1940 | 141 |
| 1940-1950 | 460 |
| 1950-1960 | 518 |
| 1960-1970 | 421 |
| 1970-1980 | 360 |
| 1980-1990 | 249 |
| 1990-2000 | 169 |
| 2000-2010 | 176 |
| 2010-2019 | 41 |
| 2020-2029 | 24 |
Nicknames
Denny, Denis, Den
Fun facts
- Dennis traces back to Dionysios, the ancient Greek god associated with grape harvest, winemaking, and religious ecstasy.
- While predominantly used for males, Dennis has been registered as a female given name over 2,600 times in U.S. birth records since 1880.