Dent first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Dent has been for the last 1 years (from 1979 to 1979) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Dent

A masculine name originating from a French surname meaning "indentation" or "notch".

Popularity of Dent by gender

Based on the last 1 years of data, Dent is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 1979, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Dent.

Year Male Count Female Count
1979 6 0

The history of the first name Dent

The name Dent is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "denu," meaning a valley or a hollow. It was initially used as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived in or near a valley or a hollow area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Dent can be traced back to the 13th century in various historical records and documents from England. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Dent, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Dent. One of the most famous is John Dent (1585-1657), an English mathematician and clockmaker who is widely regarded as the pioneer of modern clockmaking. His contributions to the field of horology were significant, and he is credited with inventing the first truly accurate pendulum clock.

Another prominent figure with the name Dent is Thomas Dent (1805-1888), a British naval officer and explorer. He is best known for his expeditions to the Arctic regions, where he made important contributions to the understanding of the region's geography and climate.

In the literary world, Julia Dent Grant (1826-1902) was the wife of the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant. She was an influential figure during her husband's presidency and played a significant role in shaping the social and cultural landscape of the White House during that time.

Denton Cooley (1920-2016) was an American heart surgeon who pioneered several groundbreaking techniques in cardiovascular surgery. He is credited with performing the first successful human heart transplant in the United States in 1968.

Lastly, Arthur Dent is the fictional protagonist of the popular science fiction comedy series "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams. Although a fictional character, Arthur Dent has become an iconic figure in popular culture, representing the quintessential everyman caught in extraordinary circumstances.

While the name Dent has its roots in England, it has since spread across the globe and is found in various cultures and regions, reflecting the diversity and richness of human naming traditions.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Dent was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Dent, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Dent first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 3, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/dent-meaning-and-history/.

"Dent first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/dent-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 3 August, 2025

Dent first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/dent-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.