Is Dee a boy's or girl's name?

Dee is primarily a girl's name. It is also used as a boy's name, with 7,269 recorded births.

When was Dee most popular?

Dee reached its peak popularity in 1961 with 623 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Dee?

Dee is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 15,831 babies in the U.S. since 1880. Its peak was in 1961.

Dee

An uncommon pick — distinctive and rare.

Girl's name| Also boysNot ranked recently Also a pet name

Rare name

Meaning & Origin

A river in Aberdeenshire council area, Scotland that flows about 145 km (90 mi) from the Cairngorm Mountains to the North Sea at Aberdeen.

Dee is a unisex baby name of Welsh origin, derived from the River Dee, a name of Celtic origin possibly meaning 'holy, sacred river.' It also functions as a diminutive of names beginning with the letter D, such as Diana, Donna, or Deidre.

Dee was popular as a standalone name in mid-20th century America, especially for girls. Compact and instantly recognizable, it has the breezy, one-syllable charm of names that never need to be spelled out.

Compare Dee with another name

Popularity Over Time

Dee has 124+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1880.

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Dee
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2010s	12	#15770	▼
2000s	29	#13225	▼
1990s	158	#6115	▼
1980s	509	#2378	▼
1970s	1,585	#968	▼
1960s	4,827	#445	▲
1950s	4,327	#427	▲
1940s	2,547	#475	▲
1930s	836	#828	▲
1920s	401	#1228	▲
1910s	302	#1153	▲
1900s	126	#1044	▲
1890s	86	#1159	—
1880s	86	#780	—

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(124 years, 1880–2012)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Dee
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2012	7	#13855	+2 (40.0%)
2010	5	#17685	0
2006	5	#17828	-1 (-16.7%)
2002	6	#14042	-5 (-45.5%)
2001	11	#8917	+4 (57.1%)
2000	7	#12113	+1 (16.7%)
1998	6	#12861	-6 (-50.0%)
1997	12	#7393	-4 (-25.0%)
1996	16	#5854	-1 (-5.9%)
1995	17	#5505	-9 (-34.6%)
1994	26	#4039	+7 (36.8%)
1993	19	#5042	-1 (-5.0%)
1992	20	#4897	-5 (-20.0%)
1991	25	#4093	+8 (47.1%)
1990	17	#5347	-16 (-48.5%)
1989	33	#3189	+9 (37.5%)
1988	24	#3822	-6 (-20.0%)
1987	30	#3118	-19 (-38.8%)
1986	49	#2150	+18 (58.1%)
1985	31	#2958	-28 (-47.5%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Dee as a Boy's Name

Though more common for girls, Dee has a notable history as a boy's name too, with 7,269 births since 1880.

Unranked

Current rank

7,269

Total births

1919

Peak year

Compare Dee as girl vs boy

Frequently Asked

Can Dee be used for both boys and girls?

Yes, Dee is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name, it is not currently ranked. As a boy's name, it is not currently in the top rankings.

Dee has two lives

Dee, the baby name

Raregirls

15,831 babies

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Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1880–2012) · Methodology

Dee