Dempsey

Dempsey - A very unique male name

Dempsey appeared on the charts for the first time in 1913 on position #927. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Dempsey and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Dempsey? 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 Dempsey. The baby boy name Dempsey was given to 10 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3138 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 146,628 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Dempsey peaked in popularity 107 years ago in 1919 on position 551.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Dempsey, 1-5?

Dempsey is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Dempsey is currently topping the baby name charts in Indiana at position #977 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,661.

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 Dempsey is where you live.

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Dempsey origin and meaning

Irish transferred surname

Descendant of Díomasach, 'the proud one'

Dempsey is the Irish surname Ó Díomasaigh, 'descendant of Díomasach,' used as a boy's first name since 1913 — long before boxer Jack Dempsey or actor Patrick Dempsey, who hold Dempsey only as a surname and are therefore not listed. As a first name it peaked in 1919 and remains rare.

Attested etymology

Dempsey is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Dempsey

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

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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 Dempsey

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 Dempsey 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 Dempsey?

2 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

DEMP-see · /ˈdɛmpsi/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: DempsDemp

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

Surname

Why parents choose it

An Irish surname name with a boxer's swagger — though the swagger is surname-deep, the first-name history is real.

Worth knowing

• Assumed to honour Jack or Patrick Dempsey; both are surname bearers only.