Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Dean

Dean is the transferred use of an English surname, originating from one of two places. On the one hand, it’s believed to be derived from a place name, from the Olde English “denu” or Middle English “dene” meaning valley (signifying someone who dwelled in a valley). The second meaning is derived from an occupational name, coming from the Latin word “decanus” which gave us Dean, the name of an ecclesiastical supervisor or imperial officer. Now we know this name to be mainly used for one of the heads of faculty in a college or university. Dean is also sometimes considered the Anglicization of the Italian pet name “Dino” (think” Dean Martin who was born Dino Paul Crocetti in 1917).

All About the Baby Name – Dean

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME DEAN

Romance is the hallmark of the Six personality. They exude nurturing, loving, and caring energy. Sixes are in love with the idea of love in its idealized form - and with their magnetic personalities, they easily draw people toward them. Like the number Two personality, they seek balance and harmony in their life and the world at large. They are conscientious and service-oriented, and a champion for the underdog. These personalities naturally attract money and are usually surrounded by lovely material objects - but their human relationships are always primary. They thrive in giving back to others rather than being motivated by their own desires. This is when they achieve great things. Sixes are natural teachers, ministers and counselors.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME DEAN

Dean has had a fairly good ride on the U.S. popularity charts since 1880. The name has always maintained a position of moderate to relatively high success in America. The height of Dean’s popularity came between 1956 and 1969 when the name was a Top 100 choice for little boys. We’re pretty sure that the increased interest in this name came with the publication of Jack Kerouac’s 1957 novel “On the Road” - a defining literary work for the postwar Beat Generation. One of the novel’s two central characters, Dean Moriarty, is a spontaneous, free-spirited, adventurous character – certain to have struck a chord with the displaced youth of the 1960s. However, since 1970, the name has shown backwards momentum for the past almost 40 years, although it might be reversing its course right now. Dean is a simple, one-syllable, no-nonsense name. It’s simple and straight-forward but does lack a little pizzazz. It’s hard to picture this name on little boys; Dean sounds so adult and authoritative. It also screams the 1950s, thanks to Dean Martin and even James Dean.

Quick Facts

ON DEAN

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

1

RANKING POPULARITY:

238

PRONUNCIATION:

DEEN

SIMPLE MEANING:

Supervisor or Valley

Characteristics

OF DEAN

Humanitarian

Community-minded

Family-oriented

Loving

Affectionate

Compassionate

Sensitive

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Dean

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME DEAN

Dean Moriarty is the leading character in Jack Kerouac’s famed Beat novel, On the Road, published in 1957, and he is based almost totally on Kerouac’s real life friend, Neal Cassady (called Cody Pomeray in other books). Dean and Sal Paradise (Kerouac) make several road trips across the United States and into Mexico, all the while, shall we say, living it up to the max. This Dean is a textbook case of conflicting temperaments. He is loving but neglectful, funny but morose, questioning but not heeding, and probably more than a little insane. But is he ever fun! Until he’s not. Dean is ultimately a tragic figure, who just does too much too soon and too often to be able to keep it all up for long. But while it does last – how cool is he?!

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME DEAN

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Dean


Popular Songs

ON DEAN

Come back Jimmy Dean
a song by Bette Midler

Is That You Mo-Dean
a song by the B-52s

James Dean
a song by the Eagles

Famous People

NAMED DEAN

Dean Martin (actor)
Dean Koontz (author)
Dean Stockwell (actor)
Dean Cain (actor)
Dean McDermott (reality TV)
Dean Edwards (SNL cast member)
Dean Smith (college basketball coach)
Dean Wilson (golfer)
Dizzy Dean (baseball player)
Dean Torrence (musician)
Dean Rusk (politician)
Dean Acheson (politician)
Dean Martin (actor)
Dean Koontz (author)
Dean Stockwell (actor)
Dean Cain (actor)
Dean McDermott (reality TV)
Dean Edwards (SNL cast member)
Dean Smith (college basketball coach)
Dean Wilson (golfer)
Dizzy Dean (baseball player)
Dean Torrence (musician)
Dean Rusk (politician)
Dean Acheson (politician)
Dean Martin (actor)
Dean Koontz (author)
Dean Stockwell (actor)
Dean Cain (actor)
Dean McDermott (reality TV)
Dean Edwards (SNL cast member)
Dean Smith (college basketball coach)
Dean Wilson (golfer)
Dizzy Dean (baseball player)
Dean Torrence (musician)
Dean Rusk (politician)
Dean Acheson (politician)

Children of Famous People

NAMED DEAN

Alicia Keys;

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME DEAN

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Dean