Dempsey
Gender-neutral name · Celtic · English · Gaelic · Irish
Meaningproud · Irish
- US rank
- #3,459
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #3,459 in 2025
44 babies were named Dempsey in the US in 2025. It has climbed 1,544 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1920–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Dempsey you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 36,496 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Dempsey, 44 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Dempsey would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryDempsey has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Dempseys, and counting.
- Best yearDempsey is at its all-time high right now: #3,459 in 2025.
- Then vs nowDempsey is 9.8× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 357,143 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 36,496.
- TrendDempsey has climbed 1,544 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #3,459. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Boy or girlDempsey is given to both boys and girls: 52% of the 85 babies named Dempsey in 2025 were girls. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn Irish, Dempsey means “proud”. Our records link it to Celtic, English and Gaelic roots.
About the name Dempsey
Dempsey is a gender-neutral name of Celtic, English and Gaelic origin meaning “proud”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with D and ending in “-sey”. US birth records list Dempsey for girls from 1920 to 2025, in 29 of those 106 years. Its best year was 2025, when it ranked #3,459 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #3,459, with 44 babies. Of the 85 US babies named Dempsey in 2025, 52% were girls and 48% were boys.
Origin:Celtic namesEnglish namesGaelic namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 0.9 | 1,086,957 girls |
| 1940s | 0.9 | 1,086,957 girls |
| 1990s | 1.9 | 523,560 girls |
| 2000s | 2.5 | 404,858 girls |
| 2010s | 15 | 68,027 girls |
| 2020s | 19 | 51,370 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 38 | 26,015 boys |
| 1890s | 37 | 27,137 boys |
| 1900s | 49 | 20,513 boys |
| 1910s | 46 | 21,911 boys |
| 1920s | 64 | 15,613 boys |
| 1930s | 38 | 26,233 boys |
| 1940s | 27 | 37,078 boys |
| 1950s | 18 | 54,705 boys |
| 1960s | 12 | 82,645 boys |
| 1970s | 11 | 91,158 boys |
| 1980s | 7.5 | 132,626 boys |
| 1990s | 8.5 | 117,509 boys |
| 2000s | 9.9 | 100,806 boys |
| 2010s | 36 | 27,917 boys |
| 2020s | 31 | 32,626 boys |
More Celtic names
- Girl name: Evelyn · possibly desired
- Girl name: Isla · from Islay
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Riley · rye clearing
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
Questions about the name Dempsey
What does the name Dempsey mean?
Dempsey means “proud” in Irish.
What is the origin of the name Dempsey?
Dempsey has Celtic, English, Gaelic, Irish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Evelyn, Isla, Owen.
Is Dempsey a boy or girl name?
Both. Dempsey is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 52% of US babies named Dempsey were girls.
How popular is the name Dempsey?
Dempsey ranked #3,459 for US girls in 2025, given to 44 babies. Its best year was 2025 (#3,459).