Dean
Say it: DEEN
BoyMeans valley, or from the church title dean4 letters1 syllable
#432
in Ireland (2025)
#418 with spellings combined
8
babies in 2025
#24
best rank (1993)
5,647
babies since 1966
Down 269
10-year rank change
Dean through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #418 |
| 2024 | 9 | #379 |
| 2023 | 8 | #426 |
| 2022 | 17 | #266 |
| 2021 | 21 | #226 |
| 2020 | 13 | #315 |
| 2019 | 25 | #209 |
| 2018 | 27 | #205 |
| 2017 | 34 | #175 |
| 2016 | 27 | #209 |
| 2015 | 42 | #149 |
| 2014 | 42 | #157 |
| 2013 | 40 | #161 |
| 2012 | 62 | #114 |
| 2011 | 54 | #128 |
| 2010 | 69 | #105 |
| 2009 | 98 | #82 |
| 2008 | 130 | #68 |
| 2007 | 94 | #79 |
| 2006 | 106 | #69 |
| 2005 | 118 | #63 |
| 2004 | 124 | #62 |
| 2003 | 147 | #42 |
| 2002 | 157 | #44 |
| 2001 | 221 | #35 |
| 2000 | 157 | #45 |
| 1999 | 214 | #32 |
| 1998 | 200 | #29 |
| 1997 | 290 | #31 |
| 1996 | 260 | #32 |
| 1995 | 274 | #30 |
| 1994 | 296 | #26 |
| 1993 | 310 | #24 |
| 1992 | 290 | #27 |
| 1991 | 253 | #32 |
| 1990 | 224 | #35 |
| 1989 | 184 | #41 |
| 1988 | 204 | #40 |
| 1987 | 146 | #53 |
| 1986 | 118 | #64 |
| 1985 | 91 | #79 |
| 1984 | 72 | #85 |
| 1983 | 44 | #118 |
| 1982 | 26 | #142 |
| 1981 | 39 | #123 |
| 1980 | 23 | #146 |
| 1979 | 25 | #140 |
| 1978 | 22 | #150 |
| 1977 | 22 | #149 |
| 1976 | 25 | #138 |
| 1975 | 16 | #173 |
| 1974 | 20 | #154 |
| 1973 | 18 | #163 |
| 1972 | 12 | #186 |
| 1971 | 20 | #151 |
| 1970 | 18 | #150 |
| 1969 | 24 | #129 |
| 1968 | 10 | #170 |
| 1967 | 3 | #265 |
| 1966 | 4 | #229 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Dean mean?
Valley, or from the church title dean
English surname, from Middle English dene (valley) or from the title dean.
Say it right
DEEN
The story of Dean
Dean has two main sources. As an English surname it often comes from Middle English dene, a valley, and marked someone who lived in one. It is also the title of a church or college official, from a Greek word for someone in charge of ten others. The first name grew from the surname.
The singer Dean Martin made it familiar worldwide. In Ireland, the Dublin footballer Dean Rock is a well-known bearer.
Dean first appears in the CSO records in 1966. It rose steeply in the 1980s and had its biggest year in 1993, with 310 boys in 1993, when it reached number 24. It stayed in the top 100 into the 2000s before a long decline. Only eight boys were named Dean in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Dean (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Dean (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Dean | 8 | 5,647 |
In Northern Ireland
#344 in 2025 with 4 babies. Best rank #45 (1997); 559 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.