Boy name · Old English
Dean
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: from a surname meaning valleyDean is a boy's name that comes from an Old English surname meaning "valley". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- From a surname meaning valley
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #125 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Dean
As a boy's name, Dean comes from an Old English surname meaning "valley". It is used in English.
Dean is also a surname: the 279th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 109,762 people. See the most common last names.
Its meaning puts Dean on our nature names list.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Dean on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Dean on 3 lists.
“A nod to the 1950s film star, the original rebel”
From Nicknames for James, nicknames inspired by famous Jameses
“From an English surname for someone who lived in a valley, or for a church dean”
From Boy middle names, vintage male middle names
“Old English denu, a valley”
From Pretty last names, short aesthetic last names
How popular is Dean?
- US rank in 2025
- #125
- 2,876 babies, 1,684 per million boys
- Best rank
- #78 in 1967
- Most babies: 4,933 in 1961
- Babies since 1880
- At least 192,930
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 121 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 216 per million |
| 1900s | 281 per million |
| 1910s | 571 per million |
| 1920s | 1,012 per million |
| 1930s | 1,290 per million |
| 1940s | 1,099 per million |
| 1950s | 1,711 per million |
| 1960s | 2,208 per million |
| 1970s | 841 per million |
| 1980s | 437 per million |
| 1990s | 417 per million |
| 2000s | 403 per million |
| 2010s | 931 per million |
| 2020s | 1,399 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #205 | #187 | #172 | #174 | #176 | #166 | #164 | #159 | #142 | #125 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Dean
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- DaanGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
- DanHe judged (Hebrew, boy)
- DeclanMeaning unknown, though likely begins with Old Irish dag, good (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DylanTide, flow (Welsh, boy)
- DagDay (Old Norse, boy)
- DandManly, brave (Greek, boy)
- DeasúnSouth Munster (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DevGod, divine (Sanskrit, boy)
- DewiBeloved one (Hebrew, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
- AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
- AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
- AthenaMeaning unknown; the Greek goddess of wisdom (Greek, girl)
- EvelynFrom a surname derived from the given name Aveline (English, girl)
- GlenValley (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- GlennValley (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- JacksonFrom a surname meaning son of Jack (English, boy)
- KennedyFrom an Irish surname, from Cennétig, armoured or misshapen head (Irish Gaelic, girl)
Middle names for Dean
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
- LindsayLincoln island (Old English, unisex)
Dean: common questions
What does the name Dean mean?
Dean comes from an Old English surname meaning "valley". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Dean a boy or girl name?
Dean is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 6 girls and 2,876 boys in the US were named Dean, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Dean come from?
Dean comes from an Old English surname meaning "valley". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Dean?
Dean ranked #125 in the US in 2025, with 2,876 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Dean?
Names spelled like Dean include Daan, Dan, Declan, Dylan and Dag.
What middle names go with Dean?
Middle names that flow well with Dean include Augustus, Carter, Cyprian, Gerald and Hunter. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.