Dewy
Fresh, moist, or cool like the morning dew.
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Dewy. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dewy today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dewy births was 1898 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dewy. 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
- • The typical person named Dewy is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dewys were born before 1967.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dewy. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1898
6 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
1966 SSA rank
#4,091
Tracked since 1898
Popularity
Dewy: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dewy from the 1890s through to the 1960s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1890s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dewy 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 Dewy 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 Dewy
The given name Dewy has its roots in the English language, specifically derived from the word "dew," referring to the droplets of condensed water vapor that form on surfaces during the night or early morning hours. This name gained popularity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, coinciding with the Romantic movement's celebration of nature and its picturesque elements.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Dewy can be traced back to the 1890s, when it appeared as a character name in literary works that romanticized rural life and the beauty of the natural world. Authors of the time, inspired by the dew-kissed landscapes and the poetic imagery associated with this natural phenomenon, bestowed the name upon their characters as a way to evoke a sense of freshness, purity, and natural beauty.
In the realm of historical figures, one notable individual who bore the name Dewy was Dewy Ream (1892-1962), an American actress and vaudeville performer. During the early 20th century, she graced the stages of Broadway and became known for her comedic talents and vivacious performances.
Another prominent figure was Dewy Wrigley (1889-1977), an American businessman and heir to the Wrigley chewing gum empire. His association with the name Dewy contributed to its recognition and helped establish it as a viable given name option.
In the literary world, Dewy Trent was the pen name used by the English author Beatrice Chase (1890-1955), who gained recognition for her works of historical fiction set in various periods of English history.
Moving into the realm of sports, Dewy Haworth (1910-1964) was an American professional baseball player who played as an outfielder for several teams in the Major League Baseball during the 1930s and 1940s.
Lastly, Dewy Jackson (1924-2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and bandleader who played a significant role in the development of the West Coast jazz scene, contributing to the unique sound that emerged from that region.
While the name Dewy may have initially been inspired by the natural phenomenon of dew, its associations with literary works, entertainment, business, and sports have given it a multifaceted historical legacy that spans various fields and time periods.
People
Dewy + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dewy 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
Dewy: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dewy?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dewy 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Dewy a common name?
We classify Dewy as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 21 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dewy most popular?
The single biggest year for Dewy was 1898, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dewy is about 69 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dewy a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dewy 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.