Dean

Dean - A very unique male name

Dean appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #283. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Dean and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Dean? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Dean. The baby boy name Dean was given to 2,870 baby boys in 2025, ranking #125 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 511 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Dean peaked in popularity 58 years ago in 1968 on position 76.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Dean, 1-5?

Dean is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Dean is currently topping the baby name charts in South Dakota at position #30 - and is the least popular in Mississippi at position #341.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Dean is where you live.

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Dean origin and meaning

English — transferred surname and place name

'Valley' — from Old English denu, a valley; also later an occupational title for a senior official

Dean began as a surname for someone who lived in a valley, and the same word became a church and university title. As a given name it peaked in 1961, in the Dean Martin and James Dean era, and has climbed back from #176 in 2020 to #125 in 2025.

Attested etymology

Dean is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Dean, pop culture references for the name Dean and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Dean

We've found the following names that sound similar to Dean, sorted by popularity.

Danny / Don / Duane / Damian / Dan / Dwayne / Damon / Damien / Donnie / Dana /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Dean

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Dean a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Dean?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

DEEN · /diːn/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Deane — An e-ending spelling
• Dene — A rare spelling variant

Famous bearers

• Dean Martin — Singer and actor, born Dino Crocetti and universally known as Dean Martin (1917–1995) Historical
• Dean Cain — Actor who played Superman in Lois & Clark (b. 1966) Contemporary
• Dean Koontz — Bestselling thriller novelist (b. 1945) Contemporary

Style

SurnameClassicVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Dean is short, mid-century cool — one syllable with a little swagger, now reviving with other 1950s and 60s names. It needs no nickname and wears well on an adult.

Worth knowing

• The academic/church title 'dean' will follow the name
• Strongly associated with 1950s figures for older generations