Dean

Did you know?

A few things about Dean you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Dean

Dean Martin

American singer, actor, comedian and film producer (1917–1995)

Choose Dean and your child shares a first name with Dean Martin, an American singer, actor, comedian and film producer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Dean, like who?” Dean Martin's Wikipedia article is available in 83 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Dean Martin on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Studio, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 594 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Dean, 2,876 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Dean would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryDean has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Deans, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIts best year was 1968, when it reached #78.
• 📈Then vs nowDean is 4.8× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 2,822 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 594.
• 🚀TrendDean has climbed 51 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #125. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedDean is most popular in South Dakota, where it ranks #30, followed by Utah (#58) and Missouri (#65). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
• 💬MeaningIn Old English, Dean means “valley”. Our records link it to English, French and Latin roots.

About the name Dean

Dean is a boy name of English, French and Latin origin meaning “valley”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with D and ending in “-ean”. US birth records list Dean for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1968, when it ranked #78 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #125, with 2,876 babies.

Origin:English namesFrench namesLatin names