Demille
A masculine name of French origin inspired by the surname "de Mille".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Demille. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Demille today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Demille births was 1978 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Demille. 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 Demille. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1978
5 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
1988 SSA rank
#7,559
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Demille: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Demille from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 5 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
Demille 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 Demille 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 Demille
The given name Demille has its roots in the French language, originating from the phrase "de Mille," which translates to "of a thousand." It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, possibly as a nickname or surname for individuals who exhibited exceptional qualities or achievements.
One of the earliest known references to the name Demille can be found in the records of the Duchy of Normandy, where it was used as a surname for a family of noble lineage. These records date back to the 12th century, suggesting the name's long-standing presence in European history.
Throughout the centuries, the name Demille has been associated with various notable figures, further solidifying its place in history. One such individual was Demille de Tournai, a renowned architect who lived in the 13th century and was responsible for the design and construction of several impressive cathedrals and churches across northern France and Belgium.
Another notable bearer of the name was Demille de Joinville, a French chronicler and historian who accompanied King Louis IX on the Seventh Crusade. His written accounts of the crusade, titled "Histoire de Saint Louis," remain a valuable source of information for scholars studying that period.
In the 15th century, Demille de Clairvaux, a French ecclesiastic and theologian, made significant contributions to the Catholic Church through his writings and teachings. His work, "De Revelatione Divina," was widely studied and discussed during the time.
Moving forward to the 19th century, Demille de Beaumont, a French botanist and explorer, gained recognition for his extensive travels and discoveries of new plant species in South America and the Caribbean. His contributions to the field of botany earned him a place in scientific history.
Finally, one of the most famous individuals with the given name Demille was Cecil B. DeMille, the renowned American filmmaker and director who lived from 1881 to 1959. He is celebrated for his pioneering work in the early days of Hollywood and his epic productions, such as "The Ten Commandments" and "The Greatest Show on Earth."
While the origin of the name Demille can be traced back to medieval France, its presence has been felt across various cultures and historical periods, with individuals bearing this name leaving their mark in fields ranging from architecture and literature to science and the arts.
People
Demille + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Demille 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
Demille: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Demille?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Demille 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Demille a common name?
We classify Demille as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Demille most popular?
The single biggest year for Demille was 1978, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Demille is about 41 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 Demille in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Demille a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Demille in the SSA data are male. 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 Demille still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Demille 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 Demille 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 named Demille?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.