Dedie
A diminutive form of feminine names like Edith or Deidre.
Name Census estimates that about 15 living Americans carry the first name Dedie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dedie today is around 63 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dedie births was 1962 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dedie. 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 Dedie. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
15
~ 1 in 22,850,289 Americans
Peak year
1962
6 babies that year
Average age
63
years old
1965 SSA rank
#6,739
Tracked since 1890
Popularity
Dedie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dedie from the 1890s through to the 1960s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 16 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dedie 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 Dedie 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 Dedie
The name Dedie has its origins in the French language, specifically as a diminutive form of the name Deidamia, which was derived from the Greek name Deidameia. This Greek name was composed of the elements "deido" meaning "to reverence" and "damao" meaning "to tame or subdue." The name Deidamia was borne by a character in Greek mythology, the daughter of King Lycomedes of Scyros, who played a role in the story of Achilles.
In its diminutive form, Dedie emerged as a French name during the Middle Ages, likely in the 12th or 13th century. It was a common practice at the time to create shortened versions of longer names, often as pet names or nicknames. The name Dedie gained popularity in France and neighbouring regions, particularly among the upper classes and nobility.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dedie can be found in the historical records of the French city of Orléans, where a woman named Dedie de Montargis lived in the late 13th century. She was a prominent figure in the city's religious and charitable circles, known for her piety and good works.
Another notable bearer of the name Dedie was Dedie de Vorly, a French noblewoman who lived in the 15th century. She was a prominent figure at the court of King Charles VII and played a significant role in the political intrigues of the time.
In the 16th century, Dedie de Valois, a member of the French royal family, was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for Renaissance humanists and scholars. She was a friend and patron of the renowned poet Pierre de Ronsard.
During the 17th century, Dedie de Riantz, a French courtier and lady-in-waiting to Queen Marie de' Medici, was a influential figure at the French court. She was known for her wit and charm, and her memoirs provide valuable insights into the social and political dynamics of the era.
In the 18th century, Dedie de Belloy, a French playwright and poet, gained recognition for her works, which included tragedies, comedies, and poetic works. She was celebrated for her talent and her ability to navigate the male-dominated literary circles of her time.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Dedie, showcasing its enduring presence and significance across various periods and contexts.
People
Dedie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dedie 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
Dedie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dedie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 15 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dedie 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 1 in 22,850,289 US residents.
Is Dedie a common name?
We classify Dedie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 35.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 26 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dedie most popular?
The single biggest year for Dedie was 1962, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dedie is about 63 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 Dedie in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dedie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dedie 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 Dedie still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dedie 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 Dedie 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 are called Dedie?
You can see how many people share the name Dedie on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.