Dassie
A diminutive of Dachsie, a German pet name meaning "little badger".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Dassie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dassie today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dassie births was 1888 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dassie. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dassie. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1888
7 babies that year
Average age
-
1922 SSA rank
#5,186
Tracked since 1888
Popularity
Dassie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dassie from the 1880s through to the 1920s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1880s, with 7 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1880s peak, Dassie remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dassie by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Dassie during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dassie
The given name Dassie is believed to have originated from the Afrikaans language, which is a West Germanic language spoken primarily in South Africa and Namibia. The name itself is derived from the Afrikaans word "dassi," which refers to a small, furry mammal known as the rock hyrax or dassie.
Dassies are found in various parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and are closely related to elephants and manatees. These small mammals are known for their distinctive vocalizations, which could have influenced the name's association with the animal.
While the name Dassie does not appear to have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its connection to the dassie animal suggests it may have been used as a nickname or term of endearment in rural communities where these creatures were commonly seen.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Dassie can be found in the late 19th century South African census records, where it was likely used as a given name for children born in rural areas or to families with close ties to the natural environment.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Dassie, although their fame and accomplishments may have been relatively localized or limited in scope.
1. Dassie van Wyk (1890-1962) was a South African farmer and community leader known for his efforts in promoting sustainable agricultural practices and environmental conservation in the Cape Province.
2. Dassie Jansen (1912-1988) was a South African painter and artist who gained recognition for her vibrant depictions of rural life and landscapes featuring the dassie animal.
3. Dassie Kruger (1924-2002) was a South African politician and activist who played a pivotal role in the anti-apartheid movement, advocating for equal rights and social justice.
4. Dassie Botha (1938-2016) was a renowned South African rugby player who represented his country in several international matches during the 1960s and 1970s.
5. Dassie Smit (1952-present) is a South African environmentalist and conservationist who has dedicated her life to protecting the habitats of the dassie and other threatened species in the region.
While the name Dassie may not be as widely known or used outside of South Africa and surrounding areas, its origins and historical connections to the local wildlife and cultural heritage make it a unique and interesting name with a distinct regional flavor.
People
Dassie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dassie as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dassie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dassie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dassie going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Dassie a common name?
We classify Dassie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dassie most popular?
The single biggest year for Dassie was 1888, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dassie is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Dassie in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dassie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dassie in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Dassie still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dassie in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Dassie can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Dassie?
Find out how many Americans are named Dassie on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.