Dineen
A variant of the Irish form of Dineen, meaning "beautiful."
Name Census estimates that about 356 living Americans carry the first name Dineen. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dineen today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dineen births was 1964 (68 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dineen. 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
356
~ 1 in 962,793 Americans
Peak year
1964
68 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
1991 SSA rank
#13,757
Tracked since 1950
Popularity
Dineen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dineen from the 1950s through to the 1990s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 257 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
Dineen 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 Dineen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dineens live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts recorded the most babies named Dineen, while Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 25 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dineen
The name Dineen originates from the Irish language and culture, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Dónall," which means "world mighty" or "world ruler." This name was popularized in Ireland during the Middle Ages and was often associated with Irish nobility and royalty.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dineen can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the 17th century. The Annals mention several individuals with the name Dónall, including Dónall Ua Briain, a powerful king of Munster who reigned in the 11th century.
In the 12th century, Díneen Mac Cárthaigh, a member of the renowned McCarthy clan, was a prominent figure in the Irish cultural and political landscape. He served as the Lord of Desmond, a historic territory in southwestern Ireland, and played a significant role in the affairs of the region.
During the 16th century, Dineen O'Mulconry was a renowned Irish historian and poet. He was responsible for preserving and recording many aspects of Irish history, literature, and culture, making significant contributions to the preservation of the country's rich heritage.
In the 17th century, Dineen O'Daly was a celebrated Irish harper and composer. He was renowned for his mastery of the traditional Irish harp and his compositions, which have become an integral part of the Irish musical tradition.
Dineen O'Donovan, born in the late 18th century, was an Irish scholar and author. He was a prominent figure in the Irish literary scene and wrote extensively on Irish history, language, and culture, contributing significantly to the preservation and promotion of Ireland's cultural heritage.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Dineen or its variations. The name has a rich and deeply rooted history within Irish culture, reflecting the country's ancient traditions, historical events, and literary achievements.
People
Dineen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dineen 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
Dineen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dineen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 356 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dineen 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 962,793 US residents.
Is Dineen a common name?
We classify Dineen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 430 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dineen most popular?
The single biggest year for Dineen was 1964, when 68 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dineen is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dineen a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dineen 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.