Denis
Boy name · #1708 in 2025 · Very rare
Denis is currently the #1708 boy name in the United States — 95 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1502, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,947 boys born in 2025 was named Denis.
The 145-year story
Denis first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 10 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1952, when 618 boys were named Denis — good for #277 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Denis per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Denis against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Denis in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Denis is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Denis will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Denis is most common
State-level data for Denis is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Denis
Statistically, parents drawn to Denis tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dennis, Elvis, Donnie, Domingo, and Boris.
DennisElvisDonnieDomingoBorisSammyDarylEddy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Denis | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 95 | #1708 |
| 2024 | 103 | #1641 |
| 2023 | 113 | #1547 |
| 2022 | 102 | #1678 |
| 2021 | 92 | #1750 |
| 2020 | 95 | #1673 |
| 2019 | 123 | #1420 |
| 2018 | 90 | #1724 |
| 2017 | 95 | #1661 |
| 2016 | 88 | #1754 |
| 2015 | 110 | #1502 |
| 2014 | 102 | #1559 |
| 2013 | 120 | #1399 |
| 2012 | 124 | #1359 |
| 2011 | 117 | #1411 |
| 2010 | 125 | #1358 |
| 2009 | 144 | #1241 |
| 2008 | 132 | #1319 |
| 2007 | 158 | #1132 |
| 2006 | 158 | #1106 |
| 2005 | 141 | #1143 |
| 2004 | 147 | #1080 |
| 2003 | 144 | #1076 |
| 2002 | 117 | #1191 |
| 2001 | 114 | #1191 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Denis a popular boy name?
Denis ranked #1708 among boys in 2025 with 95 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1502.
When was the name Denis most popular?
Denis peaked in 1952, when 618 American boys received the name (ranked #277 that year). Since 1952 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Denis?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,947 newborn American boys was named Denis. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.