The first name Denis
A boy’s name from Greek.
Pronounced /ˈdɛnɪs/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
A male given name from Ancient Greek, a mostly British and Irish spelling variant of Dennis.
A form of Dennis.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 80 boys were named Denis, making it the 484th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2017, with 193 births (#270).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Denis with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Denis at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 95 boys born in the United States were named Denis, the 1,712th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1952, when 618 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Denis
150 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Denis DiderotFrench Enlightenment philosopher writer and encyclopædist (1713–1784)
- Denis MukwegeCongolese gynecologist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, born 1955
- Siméon Denis PoissonFrench mathematician, mechanician and physicist (1781–1840)
- Denis VilleneuveCanadian film director and screenwriter (born 1967)
- Denis PapinFrench physicist, mathematician and inventor (1647–1713)
- Denis3rd-century Bishop of Paris and saint, 201–250
- Denis LearyAmerican actor and comedian (born 1957)
- Denis O'HareAmerican actor, born 1962
- Denis ThatcherEnglish businessman, husband of Margaret Thatcher (1915–2003)
- Denis McDonough11th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, born 1969
- Denis ZvizdićBosnia and Herzegovina politician (born 1964)
- Denis HealeyBritish politician (1917–2015)
More Greek boys’ names
Questions
- What is the origin of the name Denis?
- Denis comes from Greek.
- How popular is the name Denis?
- In 2025, 80 boys born in England and Wales were named Denis, ranking 484th. Its peak was 2017, with 193 births.
- Is Denis a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 96% of the 21,606 US babies named Denis since 1880 were boys.
- When was Denis most popular?
- 1952 in the United States, when 618 babies were named Denis, its highest rank at 277th.
- How do you pronounce Denis?
- Denis is /ˈdɛnɪs/, 2 syllables.
- What name is Denis a form of?
- Denis is a form of Dennis.
- What are other spellings of Denis?
- Denys.
- Is Denis also a surname?
- Yes. Denis is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.