Denise
From French Denise, from Latin Dionȳsia (feminine form of Dionȳsius, a male name of Ancient Greek origin meaning “follower of Dionysus”).
Every Denise since 1882 — 374,789 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Denise
Denise is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,677 in 2025 with 123 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 374,789 American babies have been named Denise. Its peak came in 1961, when 15,422 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 Denise stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Denise 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 | 123 | #1,677 | — | — |
| 2024 | 105 | #1,900 | — | — |
| 2023 | 151 | #1,462 | — | — |
| 2022 | 165 | #1,389 | — | — |
| 2021 | 192 | #1,225 | 5 | #12,592 |
| 2020 | 307 | #877 | — | — |
| 2019 | 162 | #1,384 | — | — |
| 2018 | 239 | #1,067 | — | — |
| 2017 | 217 | #1,143 | — | — |
| 2016 | 210 | #1,188 | — | — |
| 2015 | 270 | #997 | — | — |
| 2014 | 359 | #780 | — | — |
| 2013 | 359 | #757 | — | — |
| 2012 | 411 | #685 | — | — |
| 2011 | 473 | #610 | — | — |
| 2010 | 619 | #488 | — | — |
| 2009 | 692 | #450 | — | — |
| 2008 | 897 | #365 | — | — |
| 2007 | 881 | #371 | — | — |
| 2006 | 853 | #380 | — | — |
| 2005 | 918 | #342 | — | — |
| 2004 | 894 | #354 | — | — |
| 2003 | 957 | #326 | — | — |
| 2002 | 957 | #321 | 6 | #9,669 |
| 2001 | 1,050 | #298 | 11 | #6,120 |
| 2000 | 963 | #329 | 6 | #9,386 |
| 1995 | 1,301 | #216 | 9 | #6,037 |
| 1990 | 1,955 | #152 | 18 | #3,342 |
| 1985 | 2,433 | #120 | 21 | #2,445 |
| 1980 | 3,145 | #95 | 19 | #2,560 |
| 1975 | 4,461 | #64 | 16 | #2,558 |
| 1970 | 9,343 | #36 | 33 | #1,472 |
| 1965 | 13,036 | #28 | 49 | #1,058 |
| 1960 | 15,066 | #29 | 35 | #1,345 |
| 1955 | 14,560 | #23 | 32 | #1,349 |
| 1950 | 4,514 | #82 | 6 | #3,409 |
| 1945 | 633 | #273 | — | — |
| 1940 | 326 | #362 | — | — |
| 1935 | 157 | #511 | — | — |
| 1930 | 83 | #773 | — | — |
| 1925 | 50 | #1,077 | — | — |
| 1920 | 61 | #931 | — | — |
| 1915 | 25 | #1,449 | — | — |
| 1910 | 7 | #1,985 | — | — |
| 1905 | 7 | #1,575 | — | — |
| 1900 | 7 | #1,611 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Denise
- Denise Richards Actor · b. 1971
- Denise Perrier Celebrity · b. 1935
- Denise Scott Brown Architect · b. 1931
- Denise Crosby Actor · b. 1957
- Denise Biellmann Skater · b. 1962
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Denise mean?
From French Denise, from Latin Dionȳsia (feminine form of Dionȳsius, a male name of Ancient Greek origin meaning “follower of Dionysus”).
How popular is the name Denise in 2025?
Denise ranked #1,677 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 123 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Denise?
374,789 babies have been named Denise in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Denise most popular?
Denise peaked in 1961, when 15,422 newborns received the name.
Is Denise a boy or girl name?
Denise is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Denise rising or falling?
Denise is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Denise?
Well-known people named Denise include Denise Richards (actor), Denise Perrier (celebrity), Denise Scott Brown (architect).