Dean is a name of English origin and it means “church official”. It is believed to have come from an old English place name denu meaning valley or Latin occupational name decanus.
The name Dean first appeared on U.S. naming charts in 1880. Increased interest was noticeable between 1956 and 1969 after the publication of “On the Road”. The novel featured Dean Moriarty, certain to have a spontaneous and spirited character.
Beginning 1970, the name Dean began to show inconsistent growth. Since then, the usage has been moderate to low but it’s starting to show renewed interest.
American Social Security Administration data shows 172, 042 newborns have been given Dean as first name between 1880 and 2018.
The year most newborns were named Dean as first name was in 1961 with 4929 occurrences. In 2020, Dean sits at #180 on the naming popularity charts.