Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1988

Denys

Gender Unisex · 66% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

A male given name from Ancient Greek, an alternative spelling of Denis

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
9
named Denys
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1988
30 babies
All-time total
641
#13,003 all-time among girls
First recorded
1944
in Social Security records

Denys popularity over time

641 babies have been named Denys since 1944, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s 17 5 22 2 – #4,290
1950s 40 – 40 4 +82% #3,741
1960s 55 – 55 6 +38% #3,487
1970s 87 10 97 10 +76% #3,687
1980s 94 34 128 13 +32% #4,528
1990s 75 23 98 10 -23% #7,541
2000s 52 54 106 11 +8% #7,703
2010s 6 50 56 6 -47% #15,475
2020s (to 2025) – 39 39 7 +16% –

The story of Denys

Denys 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 1944, 641 American babies have been named Denys, about 66% girls and 34% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1988, when 30 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

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 Denys stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Denys?

The median living Denys is about 36 years old; half are between 21 and 51. An estimated 600 people named Denys are alive in the United States today.

median 36 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Denys 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 – – 9 #8,421
2024 – – 9 #8,488
2023 – – 9 #8,418
2022 – – – –
2021 – – 7 #9,982
2020 – – 5 #12,500
2019 – – – –
2018 – – 5 #12,635
2017 – – 9 #8,311
2016 – – 9 #8,306
2015 – – – –
2014 – – 5 #12,533
2013 – – 6 #11,074
2012 – – – –
2011 – – 7 #9,891
2010 6 #15,475 9 #8,309
2009 – – 13 #6,520
2008 – – 7 #10,131
2007 8 #12,993 – –
2006 10 #10,801 9 #8,166
2005 – – 9 #7,794
2004 6 #14,635 – –
2003 – – 5 #11,311
2002 6 #14,063 – –
2001 9 #10,334 5 #10,988
2000 13 #7,703 6 #9,389
1995 11 #7,652 – –
1990 7 #10,505 5 #8,442
1985 7 #8,576 – –
1980 9 #6,923 5 #6,488
1975 8 #6,654 – –
1970 10 #5,141 – –
1965 5 #6,764 – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 9 #3,741 – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Denys

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Denys Shmyhal Denys Shmyhal Prime Minister of Ukraine from 2020 to 2025 b. 1975 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Denys Arcand Denys Arcand Canadian film director (born 1941) Contemporary
  3. 3 Denys Boyko Denys Boyko Ukrainian footballer b. 1988 · Contemporary
  4. 4 Denys Harmash Denys Harmash Ukrainian footballer b. 1990 · Contemporary
  5. 5 Denys de La Patellière French film director 1921–2013 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Denys, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Denys?

The median living Denys is about 36 years old. Half of all living Denyss are between 21 and 51 years old.

How many people named Denys are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Denys are alive in the United States, based on 641 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Denys mean?

A male given name from Ancient Greek, an alternative spelling of Denis

How popular is the name Denys in 2025?

Denys 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 Denys?

641 babies have been named Denys in the United States since 1944, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Denys most popular?

Denys peaked in 1988, when 30 newborns received the name.

Is Denys a boy or girl name?

Denys is used for both: about 66% of babies named Denys have been girls and 34% boys.

Is the name Denys rising or falling?

Denys has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Denys?

Well-known people named Denys include Denys Shmyhal (politician), Denys Arcand (film director), Denys Boyko (soccer player).

Names like Denys

Names that sound and feel close to Denys: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Denys with similar names → More names starting with D →