Dean Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Boy Names Like Dean

Dean Name Origin: English
Pronunciation: deen
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Dean Name Meaning

The name Dean has two meanings. The first is “valley” and the second is “leader” or “head”. It is a strong, masculine name that can be seen as both a sign of strength and leadership.

History of the Name Dean

The name Dean has its roots in the Old English word “dean”, which means “valley”. It was originally used as a surname before becoming a popular given name. In the Middle Ages, it was a common title for a head of a religious chapter or group. The word also has its roots in Latin, where it translates to “leader” or “head”.

Origin of the Name Dean

The name Dean is believed to have originated in England. It is a combination of the Old English word for “valley” and the Latin word for “leader” or “head”. It is believed to have been used first as a surname before eventually becoming a popular given name.

Popularity of the Name Dean

The name Dean has been steadily increasing in popularity over the years. In the United States, it is currently the 160th most popular name for boys. It is most popular in the states of California, Texas, and New York. It is particularly popular among young parents, who find the name to be strong and timeless.

Final Thoughts on the Name Dean

There are many reasons why the name Dean has remained popular for so long. It is a strong, timeless name with deep roots in English and Latin. It is also associated with strength, leadership, and success, making it an attractive name for young parents. Additionally, its short and sweet two-syllable sound makes it easy to pronounce and remember.

The name Dean has been around for centuries and its popularity has waxed and waned over the years. Its roots are in Old English and Latin, and it is often associated with strength and leadership.

Dean Name Popularity

How popular is the name Dean? Here’s everything we know.

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	—	0	0%
1911	283	50	0.0134%
1912	259	144	0.0286%
1913	258	176	0.031%
1914	229	299	0.0429%
1915	224	416	0.0458%
1916	217	467	0.0483%
1917	203	530	0.053%
1918	189	641	0.0597%
1919	180	689	0.0658%
1920	181	756	0.068%
1921	172	827	0.0722%
1922	159	954	0.0856%
1923	156	968	0.0864%
1924	143	1,122	0.0966%
1925	140	1,153	0.102%
1926	139	1,215	0.1105%
1927	133	1,306	0.118%
1928	136	1,251	0.1169%
1929	133	1,259	0.1215%
1930	130	1,334	0.1277%
1931	128	1,317	0.1334%
1932	123	1,392	0.1409%
1933	128	1,286	0.138%
1934	118	1,451	0.1501%
1935	121	1,415	0.1456%
1936	125	1,312	0.1362%
1937	126	1,300	0.1319%
1938	129	1,317	0.1286%
1939	136	1,257	0.1236%
1940	144	1,200	0.1129%
1941	144	1,269	0.1128%
1942	152	1,243	0.0984%
1943	142	1,488	0.114%
1944	134	1,560	0.1259%
1945	136	1,568	0.1286%
1946	132	1,876	0.1271%
1947	140	1,992	0.1193%
1948	142	1,905	0.1193%
1949	129	2,087	0.1297%
1950	120	2,327	0.1445%
1951	105	2,884	0.1701%
1952	102	3,159	0.181%
1953	104	3,107	0.1756%
1954	109	3,160	0.1729%
1955	111	3,084	0.1677%
1956	99	3,710	0.1964%
1957	93	4,371	0.2272%
1958	97	4,296	0.2273%
1959	95	4,428	0.2331%
1960	94	4,520	0.2386%
1961	84	4,927	0.261%
1962	86	4,658	0.2537%
1963	86	4,619	0.2573%
1964	85	4,512	0.2563%
1965	88	4,098	0.2506%
1966	84	4,040	0.2588%
1967	78	3,916	0.258%
1968	76	3,802	0.2532%
1969	89	3,447	0.2237%
1970	112	2,941	0.1848%
1971	137	2,243	0.1493%
1972	156	1,670	0.1226%
1973	168	1,395	0.1076%
1974	184	1,196	0.092%
1975	211	992	0.0772%
1976	229	864	0.067%
1977	240	841	0.0624%
1978	263	741	0.0551%
1979	251	809	0.0574%
1980	265	783	0.0536%
1981	277	720	0.049%
1982	277	719	0.0481%
1983	272	721	0.0489%
1984	280	714	0.048%
1985	267	767	0.0505%
1986	262	814	0.0539%
1987	267	783	0.0513%
1988	273	815	0.0523%
1989	281	843	0.0522%
1990	286	862	0.052%
1991	318	778	0.0477%
1992	316	795	0.0498%
1993	319	790	0.0507%
1994	317	791	0.0515%
1995	335	705	0.0468%
1996	312	814	0.0544%
1997	329	768	0.0519%
1998	352	712	0.0476%
1999	363	684	0.0457%
2000	379	663	0.0434%
2001	360	702	0.0466%
2002	377	664	0.0443%
2003	388	638	0.0419%
2004	377	700	0.0459%
2005	388	710	0.0464%
2006	388	741	0.0473%
2007	350	870	0.0551%
2008	345	913	0.0591%
2009	306	1,024	0.0685%
2010	289	1,143	0.0793%
2011	287	1,205	0.0846%
2012	258	1,357	0.0952%
2013	233	1,507	0.1058%
2014	221	1,680	0.1153%
2015	202	1,933	0.1328%
2016	204	1,946	0.135%
2017	187	2,059	0.1475%
2018	172	2,234	0.1626%
2019	173	2,204	0.1628%
2020	176	2,107	0.1655%
2021	164	2,333	0.1909%
2022	162	2,248	0.1704%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Dean

If you like Dean, you’ll love these other names like Dean.

What names are variants of Dean?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Dean.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Deane	Valley; church official	English
Deen	Valley; church official	English
Dene	Valley; church official	English
Deyn	Valley; church official	English
Dino		Spanish

What names sound like Dean?

If you like how Dean sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Dean.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Dan	Judge; God is my judge	Hebrew
Den	Follower of Dionysius; son of Dennis	Greek
Deon
Doan	Low, rolling hills	English

Lists With Dean

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Dean.

Siblings of Dean

Mamas with kids named Dean also have kids with these names.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Shane	God is gracious	Irish
Gracelynn	Graceful	English
Everleigh	Boar meadow	English
Sofia	Wisdom	Greek
Samuel	Name of God	Hebrew

Madison	Son of Maud	English
Margot	Pearl	French

Share Your Thoughts

20 Comments

Allie Jun 11 at 8:08 am

We chose Dean because it is a family name! I love that it’s different, but not weird. I don’t hear it often! I feel like it’s classic, but not an “old man” name.

Reply
Jenna Feb 14 at 8:01 am

Short, classic, easy to spell, and handsome name! Also not overly used.

Reply
Clara Nov 22 at 10:11 am

It’s classic, simple, masculine, and cute. Just a solid name! Common enough to be well known but not trendy or overused!

Reply
Daviana Nov 4 at 9:02 pm

Named after his great grandfather

Reply
Hannah Jul 20 at 3:00 pm

I heard the name on an older tv show and instantly knew that my son was going to be named Dean. It is short, easy to say and spell, and I personally know of very few Deans!

Reply
Breann Oct 1 at 12:07 am

We named are son Dean after my husband and I we love it.

Reply
Teira Dec 5 at 1:16 pm

We chose Dean for a name because it was my grandfathers name. We wanted a name that was strong and unique.

Reply
Mama Nina Sep 10 at 1:46 am

Dean named himself in a dream I had and me and father both loved it ! It’s strong , one syllable and elegant. We also love that it means faith in Arabic

Reply
Maresa Fresquez Aug 5 at 12:11 pm

Dean Edward. Again I got Dean from the TV show Supernatural and his middle name Jacob I also got for the movie saga Twilight.

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Ashley Jun 25 at 11:30 am

My husband and I chose the name dean because my favorite Show is Supernatural. Dean is my favorite character in the show. It also has to to with my mother in laws cousin. Unfortunately he has passed away. I love his name and it suits him so well.

Reply
Elaine Jun 17 at 11:42 pm

Dean is named after someone important in my husband’s life who passed away. His middle name is Asher because we loved how it sounded together

Reply
Kristen Jan 25 at 10:01 pm

We chose the name Dean after my Fiance’s stepdad’s dad. He thought of this man as a role model. The name Dean is unique and not really used anymore.

Reply
Jessica Stephens Jan 15 at 6:43 pm

My husband thought of it and I wanted a strong, traditional name but not a super common one. I don’t know any Dean’s or anyone with a kid named Dean.

Reply
Deanna Nov 11 at 9:24 am

Family name

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Deanna Oct 21 at 9:41 am

We named our son Dean because my father’s middle name is Dean an my first name is the feminine version of it as well so we wanted to keep it going. His middle name is william after my husband’s and father in laws middle name.

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- Penny Aug 26 at 1:25 am
  
  Same
  
  Reply
Allison Jun 13 at 2:30 pm

We wanted a unique name that was still easy to say and spell.

Reply
Kerri Jun 8 at 11:09 am

Dean is my Dads middle name

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Shawna Jun 7 at 5:27 pm

We chose Dean because it felt strong, masculine and with a bit of “old school” flair. We have a short last name, and we liked the idea of two short names.

Reply
Miranda Jun 5 at 7:48 pm

We chose the name Dean because we’re huge Supernatural fans. His name is actually Steven Dean, Steven after his daddy. We were trying to come up with a middle name and as soon as my husband said Dean, I knew that was it.

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