Dempsey
Boy name · #2991 in 2025 · Uniqueness 82/100
In 2025, 41 baby boys were named Dempsey, placing it at #2991 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2001, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 43,902 boys born in 2025 was named Dempsey.
The 145-year story
Dempsey first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 11 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 108 boys were named Dempsey — good for #609 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 Dempsey per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dempsey against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dempsey in class?
Dempsey scores 82 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Dempsey will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dempsey is most common
State-level data for Dempsey is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Dempsey
Statistically, parents drawn to Dempsey tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Hartley, Charley, Mckinley, Wiley, and Hardy.
HartleyCharleyMckinleyWileyHardyRaleighHoytElden
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dempsey | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 41 | #2991 |
| 2024 | 45 | #2835 |
| 2023 | 59 | #2346 |
| 2022 | 52 | #2589 |
| 2021 | 70 | #2079 |
| 2020 | 51 | #2505 |
| 2019 | 62 | #2228 |
| 2018 | 55 | #2385 |
| 2017 | 66 | #2091 |
| 2016 | 71 | #2012 |
| 2015 | 72 | #2001 |
| 2014 | 94 | #1641 |
| 2013 | 77 | #1851 |
| 2012 | 62 | #2155 |
| 2011 | 68 | #1999 |
| 2010 | 47 | #2579 |
| 2009 | 28 | #3721 |
| 2008 | 29 | #3646 |
| 2007 | 28 | #3687 |
| 2006 | 23 | #4105 |
| 2005 | 17 | #4824 |
| 2004 | 10 | #6976 |
| 2003 | 18 | #4426 |
| 2002 | 18 | #4322 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dempsey a popular boy name?
Dempsey ranked #2991 among boys in 2025 with 41 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2001.
When was the name Dempsey most popular?
Dempsey peaked in 1921, when 108 American boys received the name (ranked #609 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dempsey?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 43,902 newborn American boys was named Dempsey. It scores 82/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "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.