Denene
A feminine name derived from the French word for "nut tree".
Name Census estimates that about 296 living Americans carry the first name Denene. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Denene today is around 59 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Denene births was 1964 (66 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Denene. 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
296
~ 1 in 1,157,954 Americans
Peak year
1964
66 babies that year
Average age
59
years old
1985 SSA rank
#8,569
Tracked since 1953
Popularity
Denene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Denene from the 1950s through to the 1980s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 232 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
Denene 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 Denene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Denenes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. New York, California, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Denene, while North Carolina, Illinois, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 9 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Denene
The name Denene is believed to have its origins in the Akan language spoken by the Akan people of West Africa, particularly in present-day Ghana and Ivory Coast. It is thought to be derived from the Akan word "dene," which means "to wander" or "to roam."
This name first emerged in the 17th century, during the height of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, when many Africans were forcibly taken to the Americas and the Caribbean. It is possible that the name Denene was brought to these regions by enslaved Africans from the Akan ethnic group, who sought to preserve their cultural identities and traditions, including their naming practices.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Denene was Denene Millner, an African American author, journalist, and activist born in 1968 in Detroit, Michigan. She is best known for her work advocating for diversity and representation in children's literature.
Another notable figure with this name is Denene Cager, an American television news anchor and reporter born in 1962. She has worked for various news stations across the United States, including WLKY in Louisville, Kentucky, and WSMV in Nashville, Tennessee.
In the realm of sports, Denene Kleman was a professional tennis player from the United States who competed in the 1980s and 1990s. She achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 54 in the world and won one singles title on the WTA Tour.
Denene Erasmus, born in 1986, is a South African actress and model. She has appeared in several television shows and films, including the popular South African soap opera "7de Laan."
Finally, Denene Graham is an American author and journalist who has written extensively on topics related to parenting, relationships, and popular culture. She has been a contributing writer for various publications, including Essence magazine and The Root.
While the name Denene is not as common as some other names, it has persisted throughout history, carrying with it the cultural significance and resilience of the Akan people. The individuals mentioned above are just a few examples of the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments associated with this name.
People
Denene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Denene 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
Denene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Denene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 296 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Denene 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 1,157,954 US residents.
Is Denene a common name?
We classify Denene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 351 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Denene most popular?
The single biggest year for Denene was 1964, when 66 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Denene is about 59 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Denene a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Denene 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.