Dink
A boy's name of Old English origin with 107 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A soft drop shot.
Dink is a boy's baby name of Old English origin, a dialectal variant or nickname possibly related to dink or dince, an old English term. As a given name, it appears primarily in 19th and early 20th century American records, sometimes as a nickname for names like Duncan or Dennis.
Dink is one of those genuinely antique American nicknames that found life as a standalone given name. Its extreme brevity and vintage quality make it a curiosity — a name that feels simultaneously ancient and oddly charming.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Dink's final sounds are sharp, distinct — ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close. In English-language naming, masculine names frequently end on harder consonants or closed syllables, creating a sense of decisiveness and strength. Dink follows that masculine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Dink's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Dink has 18+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1883.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | — |
| 1940s | 5 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 15 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 21 | ▼ |
| 1910s | 40 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 11 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 10 | — |
The Story of Dink
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1917, Dink is a name steeped in history. Boys named Dink are most likely born between 1907 and 1927.
How rare is Dink?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Dink is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1883, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1910s with 40 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Dink by the numbers
- Would fill 2 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(18 years, 1883–1955)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | 5 | #4005 |
| 1944 | 5 | #3549 |
| 1936 | 5 | #3676 |
| 1935 | 5 | #3795 |
| 1933 | 5 | #3777 |
| 1926 | 5 | #4369 |
| 1924 | 6 | #3996 |
| 1923 | 5 | #4391 |
| 1922 | 5 | #4463 |
| 1919 | 6 | #3837 |
| 1918 | 8 | #3173 |
| 1917 | 12 | #2319 |
| 1916 | 9 | #2771 |
| 1914 | 5 | #3371 |
| 1894 | 5 | #1126 |
| 1892 | 6 | #986 |
| 1884 | 5 | #1006 |
| 1883 | 5 | #931 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dink a boy's or girl's name?
When was Dink most popular?
How popular is the name Dink?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1883–1955