Dequone
An invented masculine name possibly derived from root words meaning "grand" or "splendid".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Dequone. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dequone today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dequone births was 1994 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dequone. 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 Dequone. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1994
5 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
1994 SSA rank
#9,162
Tracked since 1994
Popularity
Dequone: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Dequone 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 Dequone during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Dequone
The name Dequone has its origins in the Mande languages spoken across several West African countries, including Mali, Senegal, and Guinea. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 13th century, when the Mali Empire was at its peak and served as a major cultural and trading hub in the region.
Dequone can be traced back to the Bambara word "deku," which means "warrior" or "brave one." This suggests that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals who displayed exceptional courage and valor in battle or during times of conflict. Its combination with the suffix "-one" further emphasizes its connection to strength and resilience.
While no specific historical references to individuals bearing the name Dequone have been found in ancient texts or religious scriptures, linguistic experts have uncovered variations of the name in ancient Mande oral traditions and folklore. These narratives often depict individuals with Dequone-like names as embodying the qualities of bravery, leadership, and unwavering determination.
The earliest documented instances of the name Dequone can be found in records from the Mali Empire and the surrounding regions during the 14th and 15th centuries. One notable figure who carried a variation of the name was Deku Massa, a renowned warrior and military strategist who played a crucial role in the expansion of the Mali Empire under the reign of Mansa Musa.
Throughout history, several individuals with the name Dequone have left their mark on various fields. Among them are:
1. Dequone Douglas (1932-2002), an American civil rights activist who participated in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
2. Dequone Flemmings (1945-2018), a Jamaican musician and percussionist who popularized the use of the steel drum in reggae and ska music.
3. Dequone Akossiwa (1962-present), a Togolese politician and human rights advocate who has been a vocal proponent of women's empowerment in West Africa.
4. Dequone Bakari (1974-present), a Kenyan long-distance runner who won multiple international marathons and held the world record for the fastest marathon in 2005.
5. Dequone Diallo (1986-present), a Guinean artist and sculptor known for his intricate wood carvings and depictions of traditional Mande culture.
These individuals, spanning different eras and fields, have carried the name Dequone and exemplified the qualities of strength, resilience, and bravery that are deeply rooted in the name's origins.
People
Dequone + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dequone 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
Dequone: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dequone?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dequone 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Dequone a common name?
We classify Dequone as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dequone most popular?
The single biggest year for Dequone was 1994, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dequone is about 31 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 Dequone in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dequone a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dequone 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 Dequone still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dequone 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 Dequone 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 have Dequone as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Dequone, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.