Denise
Girl name · #1674 in 2025 · Uniqueness 85/100
In 2025, 123 baby girls were named Denise, placing it at #1674 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #997, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,634 girls born in 2025 was named Denise.
The 143-year story
Denise first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1961, when 15,379 girls were named Denise — good for #30 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 Denise per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Denise against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Denise in class?
Denise scores 85 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 Denise will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Denise is most common
Geography matters for names, and Denise is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Denises were CA (27), TX (19), NY (11), FL (7), GA (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Denise
Statistically, parents drawn to Denise tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Darlene, Therese, Jackie, Yvette, and Annette.
DarleneThereseJackieYvetteAnnetteDianeLaurieYvonne
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Denise | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 123 | #1673 |
| 2024 | 105 | #1895 |
| 2023 | 151 | #1462 |
| 2022 | 165 | #1387 |
| 2021 | 192 | #1223 |
| 2020 | 307 | #876 |
| 2019 | 162 | #1383 |
| 2018 | 239 | #1065 |
| 2017 | 217 | #1141 |
| 2016 | 210 | #1188 |
| 2015 | 270 | #997 |
| 2014 | 359 | #780 |
| 2013 | 359 | #755 |
| 2012 | 411 | #685 |
| 2011 | 473 | #609 |
| 2010 | 619 | #488 |
| 2009 | 692 | #450 |
| 2008 | 897 | #365 |
| 2007 | 881 | #371 |
| 2006 | 853 | #380 |
| 2005 | 918 | #342 |
| 2004 | 894 | #354 |
| 2003 | 957 | #326 |
| 2002 | 957 | #321 |
| 2001 | 1,050 | #298 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Denise a popular girl name?
Denise ranked #1674 among girls in 2025 with 123 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #997.
When was the name Denise most popular?
Denise peaked in 1961, when 15,379 American girls received the name (ranked #30 that year). Since 1961 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Denise?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,634 newborn American girls was named Denise. It scores 85/100 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.