Dene
A name of Native American origin meaning "the people".
Name Census estimates that about 575 living Americans carry the first name Dene. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 71.9% of registrations being female. The average person named Dene today is around 55 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dene births was 1965 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dene. 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.
People living today
575
~ 1 in 596,095 Americans
Peak year
1965
26 babies that year
Average age
55
years old
1993 SSA rank
#7,867
Tracked since 1917
Gender
Gender distribution for Dene
Dene is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 795 total registrations, 223 (28.1%) were male and 572 (71.9%) were female.
Dene as a male name
- Ranked #7,867 in 1993
- 6 male births in 1993
- Peak: 1925 (10 births)
Dene as a female name
- Ranked #8,168 in 2000
- 12 female births in 2000
- Peak: 1965 (19 births)
Popularity
Dene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dene from the 1910s through to the 2000s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 176 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dene 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 Dene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Denes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Dene
The name Dene originates from Old English, tracing its roots back to the 5th century AD. It is derived from the word "denu," meaning "valley" or "valley-dweller." The name was initially prevalent among the Anglo-Saxon population in England and was often used to describe individuals who resided in or near valleys.
In ancient texts, the name Dene appears in various forms, such as "Dæne" and "Dæne-mann." One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with the name Dene, indicating its widespread use during that period.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Dene. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Dene of Winchester (c. 1030 - c. 1100), an Anglo-Norman monk and scholar who contributed significantly to the field of mathematics and astronomy.
Another prominent figure was Dene Marbanach (c. 1200 - c. 1270), an Irish poet and storyteller renowned for his skills in preserving and transmitting traditional Irish tales and legends. His works played a crucial role in preserving Irish cultural heritage during a period of turmoil and change.
In the 14th century, Dene Ingram (c. 1325 - c. 1390), an English merchant and diplomat, gained fame for his role in facilitating trade relations between England and the Hanseatic League, a powerful commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and towns in Northern Europe.
During the Renaissance period, Dene Erasmus (1466 - 1536), a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and social critic, made significant contributions to the field of education and theology. His writings and teachings influenced many intellectuals of his time and played a crucial role in shaping the ideals of the Protestant Reformation.
In more recent times, Dene Hill (1907 - 1995), an American actor and screenwriter, gained recognition for his work in Hollywood during the golden age of cinema. He was known for his roles in several classic films and his contributions to the screenwriting of notable productions.
While the name Dene has its origins in Old English and Anglo-Saxon culture, it has been adopted and used across various regions and cultures over the centuries, reflecting its enduring appeal and historical significance.
People
Dene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dene 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
Dene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 575 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dene 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 596,095 US residents.
Is Dene a common name?
We classify Dene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 795 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dene most popular?
The single biggest year for Dene was 1965, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dene is about 55 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dene a female name?
Yes, 71.9% of people registered as Dene 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.
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.