Dewey

Dewey - A very unique male name

Dewey appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #232. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Dewey and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Dewey? 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 Dewey. The baby boy name Dewey was given to 5 baby boys in 2004, ranking #3824 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 354,013 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Dewey peaked in popularity 101 years ago in 1925 on position 179.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Dewey, 1-5?

Dewey is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Dewey is currently topping the baby name charts in Kentucky at position #656 - and is the least popular in Kentucky at position #656.

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 Dewey is where you live.

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Dewey origin and meaning

Welsh / surname — disputed

Origin disputed: as a surname it may come from the Welsh Dewi (David); as a given name its American spread follows Admiral George Dewey's 1898 fame — a surname channel, not a derivation

Dewey's given-name run follows Admiral Dewey's victory at Manila Bay — the admiral holds Dewey as a surname, the documented tribute channel, so he is credited here, not listed. The name peaked in 1925 and totals 26,804 births, with no row in 2020 or 2025. Melvil Dewey and Thomas E. Dewey are likewise surname holders.

Origin uncertain

Dewey is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Dewey

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

Dewitt / Dee / Duy / De / Dawud / Dawid / Doy / Dat / Dade / Da /

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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 Dewey

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 Dewey 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 Dewey?

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

DOO-ee · /ˈdui/

Around the world

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

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

A naval hero's surname worn as a first name for a generation, now retired.

Worth knowing

• Dewey Decimal System and 'Dewey defeats Truman' are surname echoes, not bearers