Dean
Dean is an boy name of Old English origin, meaning “Valley”.
| Meaning | Valley |
|---|---|
| Gender | Boy |
| Origin | Old English |
| Pronunciation | DEEN |
| Tradition | Modern & Classic |
| Used in | United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada |
Meaning and origin of Dean
Dean has two sources in English. One is Old English denu, 'valley', which produced place names and surnames such as Dean and Deane. The other is the church and university title dean, from Latin decanus, originally a person in charge of ten monks or soldiers. As a first name, Dean became popular in the mid-twentieth century, helped by the fame of the singer Dean Martin and the actor James Dean, and it has stayed in steady use since.
Is Dean a religious name?
Dean is a secular name; the ecclesiastical title is a source of the surname, but the name itself has no religious meaning.
How popular is Dean?
A steady classic boys' name across English-speaking countries.
Gifts with the name Dean
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Spellings and variants of Dean
Names similar to Dean
More boy names
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Dean mean?
Dean means 'Valley'. It is of Old English origin.
Does Dean have a religious meaning?
Dean is a secular name; the ecclesiastical title is a source of the surname, but the name itself has no religious meaning.
How do you pronounce Dean?
Dean is pronounced DEEN.
Is Dean a boy or girl name?
Dean is usually a boy name.