Dennis
Boy name · #707 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Dennis? In official American birth records, Dennis has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Dennis is currently the #707 boy name in the United States — 381 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #494, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,724 boys born in 2025 was named Dennis.
The 145-year story
Dennis first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 128 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1952, when 24,552 boys were named Dennis — good for #18 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 Dennis per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dennis against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dennis in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Dennis is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Dennis will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dennis is most common
Geography matters for names, and Dennis is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Dennis is most common in MD (0.6 per 1,000), IN (0.5 per 1,000), MN (0.4 per 1,000), NJ (0.4 per 1,000), MI (0.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Dennis is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Dennis
Statistically, parents drawn to Dennis tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Denis, Douglas, Chris, Danny, and Curtis.
DenisDouglasChrisDannyCurtisDonaldRonaldDonnie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dennis | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 381 | #707 |
| 2024 | 376 | #708 |
| 2023 | 427 | #644 |
| 2022 | 423 | #652 |
| 2021 | 385 | #689 |
| 2020 | 414 | #647 |
| 2019 | 510 | #553 |
| 2018 | 497 | #556 |
| 2017 | 516 | #545 |
| 2016 | 587 | #510 |
| 2015 | 592 | #494 |
| 2014 | 578 | #486 |
| 2013 | 625 | #454 |
| 2012 | 661 | #424 |
| 2011 | 685 | #413 |
| 2010 | 726 | #391 |
| 2009 | 845 | #362 |
| 2008 | 833 | #368 |
| 2007 | 968 | #330 |
| 2006 | 1,029 | #313 |
| 2005 | 1,040 | #316 |
| 2004 | 1,017 | #308 |
| 2003 | 1,109 | #282 |
| 2002 | 1,081 | #280 |
| 2001 | 1,180 | #270 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Dennis?
In official American birth records, the name Dennis first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 128 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Dennis a popular boy name?
Dennis ranked #707 among boys in 2025 with 381 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #494.
When was the name Dennis most popular?
Dennis peaked in 1952, when 24,552 American boys received the name (ranked #18 that year). Since 1952 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dennis?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,724 newborn American boys was named Dennis. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.