Devian
Masculine name derived from Latin meaning "straying from the path".
Name Census estimates that about 292 living Americans carry the first name Devian. It is a predominantly male name (92.6% of registrations). The average person named Devian today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Devian births was 1999 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Devian. 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
292
~ 1 in 1,173,816 Americans
Peak year
1999
23 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,229
Tracked since 1987
Gender
Gender distribution for Devian
Devian leans heavily male at 92.6% of total registrations, but 22 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Devian as a male name
- Ranked #11,229 in 2024
- 6 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2003 (18 births)
Devian as a female name
- Ranked #15,715 in 2000
- 5 female births in 2000
- Peak: 1999 (7 births)
Popularity
Devian: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Devian from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 132 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Devian 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 Devian 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 Devian
The name Devian is a relatively modern name that first emerged in the early 20th century. Its origins can be traced back to the Sanskrit language, where the word "deva" means "divine" or "heavenly." This suggests that the name Devian may have been derived as a diminutive form of the word "deva," potentially carrying a connotation of divinity or celestial qualities.
While the name Devian does not have a long historical lineage, it gained some popularity in the latter half of the 20th century, particularly in certain regions of the world. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Devian can be found in the work of American author and playwright Devian Revai, who was born in 1923 and wrote several plays and novels during the mid-20th century.
Another notable figure with the name Devian was Devian Barton, an American artist and sculptor born in 1945. Barton's works often explored themes of nature, spirituality, and the human form, and he was known for his unique style of combining various mediums in his sculptures.
In the realm of sports, Devian Shelton was a professional basketball player from the United States, born in 1971. He played in several professional leagues, including the NBA, and was known for his defensive skills on the court.
Moving to the world of music, Devian Alejandro was a Mexican-American singer-songwriter born in 1982. He gained recognition for his unique blend of Latin and pop music styles, and his songs often explored themes of love, heartbreak, and personal growth.
Finally, Devian Kuhl was a German filmmaker and director born in 1987. He gained critical acclaim for his experimental and avant-garde films, which often challenged conventional storytelling techniques and explored the boundaries of visual storytelling.
While the name Devian may not have a deeply rooted historical significance, these individuals have contributed to various fields, from literature and art to sports and entertainment, leaving their mark on the cultural landscape of their respective eras.
People
Devian + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Devian 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
Devian: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Devian?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 292 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Devian 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 1,173,816 US residents.
Is Devian a common name?
We classify Devian as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 297 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Devian most popular?
The single biggest year for Devian was 1999, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Devian is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Devian a male name?
Yes, 92.6% of people registered as Devian 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.
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.