Given name & surname
Denise
“follower of Dionysus”
In French use, Denise carries the interpretation “follower of Dionysus.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In French use, Denise carries the interpretation “follower of Dionysus.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is French.
How it developed
In French use, Denise is used as a feminine counterpart of Denis.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1882. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Denise through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 374,789
- 1,367 boys · 373,422 girls
- Most popular year
- 1961
- 15,422 babies
- 2025
- 123
- #1,677 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −35%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 123 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,677 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 35.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 15,379 in 1961. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (27). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 327,824 as a first name in 2020; 862 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Denise’s family of names
In English usage, Denise has a diminutive in Denni. Denise is a feminine form of Denis. Denise has a related form in Denny.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Denise has relatives in 13 languages. Lines run from its French roots to each of them.
22 related names in 13 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 27
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Denissevariant · English
- Denisvariant · German
- Dennyvariant
- Denivariant
- Denysvariant
- Dennisevariant · English
- Denysevariant · English
- Dennidiminutive · English
Show 19 moreShow fewer
- Denisavariant · English, German
- Denishavariant
- Dinnievariant
- Denycevariant
- Dennievariant
- Denizevariant
- Denissavariant
- Deniecevariant · English
- Denicevariant · German, English
- Deneyvariant
- Dennettevariant
- Denesevariant · English
- Deniesevariant · German
- Dinnyvariant
- Dinnivariant
- Dennetvariant
- Deneighvariant
- Denisievariant · German
- Deniesvariant · German
Across languages 11
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Dionysiadoublet · English, Latin
- DanisaOccitan
- DionisiaSpanish, Italian
- Dionysiusmasculine form · ceb, English
- DaniceEnglish
- Διονυσίαequivalent
- DionigiaItalian
- DenezaBreton
Show 3 moreShow fewer
People named Denise
- Denise RichardsAmerican actressborn 1971
- Denise CrosbyAmerican actressborn 1957
- Dee Dee BridgewaterAmerican singer (born 1950)
- Denise LevertovBritish-American poet (1923-1997)
- Denise LewisBritish athleteborn 1972
- Denise HoCanada - Hong Kong singer and social activistborn 1977
- Denise Herrmann-WickGerman cross-country skier and biathleteborn 1988
- Denise Scott BrownAmerican architect (born 1931)
- Denise QuiñonesPuerto Rican actor-modelborn 1980
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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