Dean

“Valley; church leader” — Old English and Greek origin

Boy's name · #125 in the US (2025) · Comeback

Dean was #78 in 1967, slipped to #384 by 2006, and has climbed back to #125 today. About 193,000 boys have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records. Deano is a short form of Dean.

Around the world: about 1 in 1,400 boys in Canada (2024) · about 1 in 1,600 boys in Switzerland (2024) · about 1 in 2,100 boys in N. Ireland (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 51 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Deans

Dean Martin — American singer, actor, comedian and film producer (1917–1995)
Dean Acheson — American statesman and lawyer (1893-1971)
Dean Koontz — American writer and screenwriter (born 1945)
Dean Stockwell — American actor (1936–2021)
Dean Jagger — American actor (1903-1991)

In stories & tradition

Dean Thomas — Harry Potter
Dean Winchester — Supernatural
Dean Forester — Gilmore Girls · Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life

What Deans become

Among 1,478 notable people named Dean:

Sports figures appear 2.1× more often than among typical names — e.g. Dean Huijsen, Dutch association football player.

Similar names: Wade · Dion · Emmett · Robin · Damien · Finn

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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