Dennis
From Middle English Denis, from Old French saint's name Denis, brought to England by Normans; from Latin Dionysius, a masculine name literally meaning “follower of (the…
Every Dennis since 1880 — 623,692 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Dennis
Dennis is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #707 in 2025 with 381 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 623,692 American babies have been named Dennis. Its peak came in 1952, when 24,605 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Dennis stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Dennis 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 | — | — | 381 | #707 |
| 2024 | 5 | #15,891 | 376 | #709 |
| 2023 | — | — | 427 | #644 |
| 2022 | 5 | #15,921 | 423 | #652 |
| 2021 | 8 | #11,383 | 385 | #690 |
| 2020 | 6 | #13,871 | 414 | #647 |
| 2019 | — | — | 510 | #553 |
| 2018 | — | — | 497 | #556 |
| 2017 | 5 | #16,505 | 516 | #545 |
| 2016 | 7 | #13,276 | 587 | #510 |
| 2015 | — | — | 592 | #494 |
| 2014 | 6 | #15,074 | 578 | #486 |
| 2013 | — | — | 625 | #454 |
| 2012 | — | — | 661 | #424 |
| 2011 | 15 | #7,898 | 685 | #413 |
| 2010 | 8 | #12,596 | 726 | #391 |
| 2009 | 14 | #8,563 | 845 | #362 |
| 2008 | 17 | #7,499 | 833 | #368 |
| 2007 | 21 | #6,389 | 968 | #330 |
| 2006 | 13 | #8,862 | 1,029 | #313 |
| 2005 | 15 | #7,606 | 1,040 | #316 |
| 2004 | 25 | #5,102 | 1,017 | #308 |
| 2003 | 21 | #5,644 | 1,109 | #282 |
| 2002 | 23 | #5,131 | 1,081 | #280 |
| 2001 | 17 | #6,403 | 1,180 | #270 |
| 2000 | 10 | #9,340 | 1,343 | #251 |
| 1995 | 13 | #6,744 | 1,689 | #185 |
| 1990 | 17 | #5,351 | 2,494 | #129 |
| 1985 | 26 | #3,345 | 2,845 | #103 |
| 1980 | 28 | #3,083 | 3,804 | #80 |
| 1975 | 28 | #2,697 | 4,730 | #59 |
| 1970 | 33 | #2,320 | 7,312 | #46 |
| 1965 | 37 | #1,892 | 8,215 | #44 |
| 1960 | 54 | #1,507 | 14,303 | #31 |
| 1955 | 52 | #1,388 | 20,436 | #23 |
| 1950 | 39 | #1,478 | 22,862 | #17 |
| 1945 | 37 | #1,315 | 14,990 | #19 |
| 1940 | 39 | #1,174 | 7,845 | #24 |
| 1935 | 18 | #1,861 | 2,597 | #72 |
| 1930 | 17 | #2,040 | 1,173 | #145 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,758 | 826 | #177 |
| 1920 | 8 | #3,697 | 624 | #207 |
| 1915 | — | — | 514 | #209 |
| 1910 | — | — | 135 | #196 |
| 1905 | — | — | 106 | #179 |
| 1900 | — | — | 132 | #158 |
| 1895 | — | — | 108 | #142 |
| 1890 | — | — | 102 | #139 |
| 1885 | — | — | 112 | #122 |
| 1880 | — | — | 128 | #106 |
Famous people named Dennis
- Dennis Gabor Physicist · 1900–1979
- Dennis Hopper Actor · 1936–2010
- Dennis Ritchie Computer scientist · 1941–2011
- Dennis Tito Astronaut · b. 1940
- Dennis Rodman Basketball player · b. 1961
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Dennis mean?
From Middle English Denis, from Old French saint's name Denis, brought to England by Normans; from Latin Dionysius, a masculine name literally meaning “follower of (the wine god) Dionysus”.
How popular is the name Dennis in 2025?
Dennis ranked #707 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 381 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Dennis?
623,692 babies have been named Dennis in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Dennis most popular?
Dennis peaked in 1952, when 24,605 newborns received the name.
Is Dennis a boy or girl name?
Dennis is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Dennis rising or falling?
Dennis is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Dennis?
Well-known people named Dennis include Dennis Gabor (physicist), Dennis Hopper (actor), Dennis Ritchie (computer scientist).