Dee
A unisex given name, short for names beginning with D.
Every Dee since 1880 — 23,099 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Dee
Dee is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1880, 23,099 American babies have been named Dee — about 69% girls and 31% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1961, when 704 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Dee stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Dee year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | 5 | #12,788 |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | 6 | #10,927 |
| 2019 | — | — | 9 | #8,363 |
| 2018 | — | — | 6 | #11,093 |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | 5 | #12,647 |
| 2015 | — | — | 6 | #11,001 |
| 2014 | — | — | 6 | #11,054 |
| 2013 | — | — | 13 | #6,330 |
| 2012 | 7 | #13,855 | 12 | #6,714 |
| 2011 | — | — | 7 | #9,875 |
| 2010 | 5 | #17,685 | 5 | #12,708 |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | 7 | #10,116 |
| 2007 | — | — | 8 | #9,099 |
| 2006 | 5 | #17,829 | 12 | #6,557 |
| 2005 | — | — | 13 | #5,948 |
| 2004 | — | — | 6 | #10,275 |
| 2003 | — | — | 10 | #6,843 |
| 2002 | 6 | #14,043 | 10 | #6,652 |
| 2001 | 11 | #8,918 | 9 | #7,051 |
| 2000 | 7 | #12,113 | 13 | #5,355 |
| 1995 | 17 | #5,505 | 12 | #4,863 |
| 1990 | 17 | #5,347 | 16 | #3,639 |
| 1985 | 31 | #2,958 | 19 | #2,622 |
| 1980 | 92 | #1,365 | 30 | #1,866 |
| 1975 | 122 | #1,001 | 32 | #1,598 |
| 1970 | 313 | #572 | 47 | #1,209 |
| 1965 | 474 | #432 | 76 | #844 |
| 1960 | 512 | #433 | 102 | #761 |
| 1955 | 462 | #409 | 99 | #733 |
| 1950 | 322 | #448 | 86 | #742 |
| 1945 | 255 | #445 | 65 | #763 |
| 1940 | 175 | #519 | 99 | #599 |
| 1935 | 66 | #850 | 104 | #568 |
| 1930 | 45 | #1,104 | 88 | #663 |
| 1925 | 41 | #1,212 | 125 | #550 |
| 1920 | 41 | #1,193 | 97 | #640 |
| 1915 | 41 | #1,041 | 120 | #507 |
| 1910 | 16 | #1,126 | 35 | #465 |
| 1905 | 9 | #1,325 | 36 | #338 |
| 1900 | 10 | #1,248 | 35 | #378 |
| 1895 | 12 | #943 | 32 | #326 |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,380 | 19 | #417 |
| 1885 | 8 | #802 | 28 | #319 |
| 1880 | 6 | #768 | 20 | #384 |
Famous people named Dee
- Dee Wallace Actor · b. 1948
- Dee Dee Bridgewater Singer · b. 1950
- Dee Snider Singer · b. 1955
- Dee Dee Warwick Musician · 1942–2008
- Dee Brown Writer · 1908–2002
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Dee mean?
A unisex given name, short for names beginning with D.
How popular is the name Dee in 2025?
Dee did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Dee?
23,099 babies have been named Dee in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Dee most popular?
Dee peaked in 1961, when 704 newborns received the name.
Is Dee a boy or girl name?
Dee is used for both: about 69% of babies named Dee have been girls and 31% boys.
Is the name Dee rising or falling?
Dee has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Dee?
Well-known people named Dee include Dee Wallace (actor), Dee Dee Bridgewater (singer), Dee Snider (singer).