How Many People Are Named Dewey?
Complete statistics for the name Dewey: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Dewey, a very rare male name, is held by just 11,681 people in the US, making up 1 in 28,251 Americans. The majority of Deweys are over 60, reflecting its status as a classic, old-school name.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life-path number 8 symbolizes power, authority, and success.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 87All 34,892 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1898Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Slowly declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Dewey Through the Generations
Throughout the generations, Dewey has seen its peak popularity in 1898 when 1,219 babies were given this name. Today, the average Dewey is 87 years old, with a significant portion of the name's bearers being over 60. This trend suggests that Dewey is slowly declining but remains a cherished name among older generations.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named Dewey
Dewey is a masculine given name of Welsh and English origin, an Anglicized spelling of 'Dewi', it is also used as a nickname. Notable people with the name include:Dewey Balfa (1927–1992), American musician Dewey Bartlett (1919–1979), American politician Dewey Bozella, American professional boxer Dewey Bulkeley, English politician Dewey Bunnell, Anglo-American singer-songwriter, member of America Dewey Cooper, American kickboxer and boxer Dwight Evans, American baseball player nicknamed "Dewey" Dewey Lambdin (1945–2021), American novelist Dewey McClain, American football player and politician …
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Dewey's English surname used as a first name roots
📄 About the Name Dewey
How Many People Have the Name Dewey?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 11,620 people in the United States currently share the name Dewey. That works out to roughly 1 in every 28,524 Americans, placing it in the Rare category.
Is Dewey a Common or Rare Name?
Dewey is classified as Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Dewey Mean?
Dewey means "English occupational surname (one who rides)" and comes from English surname used as a first name origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 8.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Dewey in SSA data, approximately 100% are male and 0% are female.
When Was Dewey Most Popular?
The name Dewey reached peak popularity in 1898, with 1,219 babies registered that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Dewey?
Approximately 11,620 people named Dewey live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 11,620. That works out to roughly 1 in 28,524 Americans.
Is Dewey a rare name?
Dewey is classified as Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 28,524 Americans has this name.
What does the name Dewey mean?
Dewey means "English occupational surname (one who rides)" and comes from English surname used as a first name origins.
Is Dewey more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 100% of people named Dewey are male and 0% are female.
When was Dewey most popular?
Dewey peaked in 1898 with 1,219 births that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.