Denis
Every Denis since 1880 — 21,606 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Denis
Denis is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,712 in 2025 with 95 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 21,606 American babies have been named Denis. Its peak came in 1952, when 625 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 Denis stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Denis 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 | 6 | #13,640 | 95 | #1,712 |
| 2024 | 8 | #11,367 | 103 | #1,643 |
| 2023 | — | — | 113 | #1,551 |
| 2022 | 7 | #12,578 | 102 | #1,681 |
| 2021 | 10 | #9,752 | 92 | #1,755 |
| 2020 | 24 | #5,200 | 95 | #1,675 |
| 2019 | — | — | 123 | #1,421 |
| 2018 | 5 | #16,310 | 90 | #1,726 |
| 2017 | — | — | 95 | #1,664 |
| 2016 | 5 | #16,924 | 88 | #1,756 |
| 2015 | — | — | 110 | #1,505 |
| 2014 | 6 | #15,073 | 102 | #1,560 |
| 2013 | 9 | #11,255 | 120 | #1,401 |
| 2012 | 7 | #13,868 | 124 | #1,360 |
| 2011 | 13 | #8,758 | 117 | #1,415 |
| 2010 | 18 | #6,991 | 125 | #1,358 |
| 2009 | 25 | #5,588 | 144 | #1,244 |
| 2008 | 34 | #4,477 | 132 | #1,320 |
| 2007 | 27 | #5,278 | 158 | #1,134 |
| 2006 | 28 | #4,992 | 158 | #1,107 |
| 2005 | 28 | #4,742 | 141 | #1,145 |
| 2004 | 26 | #4,972 | 147 | #1,082 |
| 2003 | 26 | #4,844 | 144 | #1,076 |
| 2002 | 25 | #4,802 | 117 | #1,195 |
| 2001 | 17 | #6,401 | 114 | #1,192 |
| 2000 | 19 | #5,769 | 110 | #1,220 |
| 1995 | 9 | #8,957 | 105 | #1,110 |
| 1990 | 14 | #6,214 | 111 | #1,001 |
| 1985 | 11 | #6,136 | 98 | #919 |
| 1980 | 15 | #4,788 | 123 | #790 |
| 1975 | 7 | #7,353 | 122 | #754 |
| 1970 | 10 | #5,140 | 202 | #570 |
| 1965 | 5 | #6,761 | 270 | #474 |
| 1960 | 11 | #3,965 | 363 | #416 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,044 | 491 | #334 |
| 1950 | 6 | #4,864 | 481 | #312 |
| 1945 | 5 | #4,703 | 327 | #329 |
| 1940 | — | — | 272 | #346 |
| 1935 | — | — | 170 | #431 |
| 1930 | — | — | 88 | #664 |
| 1925 | — | — | 68 | #804 |
| 1920 | — | — | 48 | #992 |
| 1915 | — | — | 38 | #1,042 |
| 1910 | — | — | 9 | #1,136 |
| 1905 | — | — | 8 | #942 |
| 1900 | — | — | 13 | #704 |
| 1895 | — | — | 12 | #614 |
| 1890 | — | — | 7 | #826 |
| 1885 | — | — | 9 | #658 |
| 1880 | — | — | 10 | #609 |
Famous people named Denis
- Denis Diderot Writer · 1713–1784
- Denis Papin Inventor · 1647–1712
- Denis Religious figure · 210–250
- Denis of Portugal Writer · 1261–1325
- Denis Law Soccer player · b. 1940
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Denis in 2025?
Denis ranked #1,712 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 95 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Denis?
21,606 babies have been named Denis in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Denis most popular?
Denis peaked in 1952, when 625 newborns received the name.
Is Denis a boy or girl name?
Denis is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Denis rising or falling?
Denis has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Denis?
Well-known people named Denis include Denis Diderot (writer), Denis Papin (inventor), Denis (religious figure).