Denzel
A male given name popularized by actor Denzel Washington
Every Denzel since 1906 — 11,779 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Denzel
Denzel is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,166 in 2025 with 177 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1906, 11,779 American babies have been named Denzel. Its peak came in 1993, when 869 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Denzel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Denzel 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 | — | — | 177 | #1,166 |
| 2024 | — | — | 217 | #1,026 |
| 2023 | — | — | 196 | #1,095 |
| 2022 | — | — | 198 | #1,095 |
| 2021 | — | — | 135 | #1,368 |
| 2020 | — | — | 163 | #1,182 |
| 2019 | — | — | 165 | #1,174 |
| 2018 | — | — | 181 | #1,090 |
| 2017 | — | — | 194 | #1,038 |
| 2016 | — | — | 176 | #1,111 |
| 2015 | — | — | 189 | #1,051 |
| 2014 | — | — | 183 | #1,068 |
| 2013 | — | — | 203 | #985 |
| 2012 | — | — | 200 | #993 |
| 2011 | — | — | 155 | #1,156 |
| 2010 | — | — | 180 | #1,072 |
| 2009 | — | — | 202 | #982 |
| 2008 | — | — | 213 | #947 |
| 2007 | — | — | 187 | #1,017 |
| 2006 | — | — | 196 | #950 |
| 2005 | — | — | 201 | #897 |
| 2004 | — | — | 250 | #747 |
| 2003 | — | — | 209 | #834 |
| 2002 | — | — | 253 | #707 |
| 2001 | — | — | 196 | #830 |
| 2000 | — | — | 214 | #776 |
| 1995 | — | — | 547 | #416 |
| 1990 | 6 | #11,774 | 496 | #444 |
| 1985 | — | — | 16 | #2,980 |
| 1980 | — | — | 5 | #6,489 |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | 6 | #4,364 |
| 1965 | — | — | 12 | #2,394 |
| 1960 | — | — | 7 | #3,420 |
| 1955 | — | — | 15 | #2,071 |
| 1950 | — | — | 14 | #2,047 |
| 1945 | — | — | 8 | #2,611 |
| 1940 | — | — | 8 | #2,712 |
| 1935 | — | — | 22 | #1,460 |
| 1930 | — | — | 28 | #1,372 |
| 1925 | — | — | 24 | #1,544 |
| 1920 | — | — | 23 | #1,605 |
| 1915 | — | — | 23 | #1,425 |
| 1910 | — | — | 6 | #1,463 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Denzel
- Denzel Washington Actor · b. 1954
- Denzel Dumfries Soccer player · b. 1996
- Denzel Curry Singer · b. 1995
- Denzel Valentine Basketball player · b. 1993
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Denzel mean?
A male given name popularized by actor Denzel Washington
How popular is the name Denzel in 2025?
Denzel ranked #1,166 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 177 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Denzel?
11,779 babies have been named Denzel in the United States since 1906, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Denzel most popular?
Denzel peaked in 1993, when 869 newborns received the name.
Is Denzel a boy or girl name?
Denzel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Denzel rising or falling?
Denzel has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Denzel?
Well-known people named Denzel include Denzel Washington (actor), Denzel Dumfries (soccer player), Denzel Curry (singer).