Unisex name · since 1880

Dee

Dee has 15,830 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1961 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

15,830
total births
1880–2012
years on record
1960s
peak decade
30%
born in that decade

Dee sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 15,830 recorded since 1880.

Social Security Administration records show Dee recorded 15,830 times among girls since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2012.

  • 15,830 total births
  • 1880–2012 years on record
  • 1960s peak decade
  • 30% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

15,830 girls have been named Dee since 1880, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2012.

15,830
total births
1880–2012
years on record
1960s
peak decade
30%
born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade

30% of everyone ever named Dee was born in this single decade.

1961
Single peak year

623 babies were named Dee in 1961 - its busiest year on record.

Dee's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Dee's full recorded timeline at 1943, 85% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 15% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1890, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1961 peak of 623 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Dee at a glance

Last recorded 2012

Total births

15,830

Since 1880

133 years of records

Peak year

1961

623 births that year

Strongest decade: 1960s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 2012

Active since

1880

Recorded for 133 years

Last year on file: 2012

Dee popularity over time - girls

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2012

Last recorded 2012
Peak year (1961)
623
Annual births at peak, across 133 years of records
-2000200400600800 188018961913192919451961197719932012 7

Dee popularity over time - boys

7,269 total births recorded since 1880 (Dee as boys' name)

Unisex variant - 7,269 births
-50050100150 188018981916193419521970198820062022 5

Dee by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1960s was Dee's strongest decade.

4,826 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.

Dee births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1960s at 4,826 births (30% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

How Dee compares to similarly-sized names

Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Dee's total volume

Dee vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Dee vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15% 406080100120140160 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Dee
Dee vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Dee by state

Where Dee concentrates geographically, total births since 1880

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Dee
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Texas
1,758 11.1%
#2 California
1,528 9.7%
#3 Ohio
715 4.5%
#4 Illinois
683 4.3%
#5 Oklahoma
635 4.0%
#6 Indiana
604 3.8%
#7 Kansas
498 3.1%
#8 Michigan
455 2.9%
Texas share of Dee's total US births 11.1%
Even split

1,758 of 15,830 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 42 reporting states.

Dee appears in 42 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Dee? ▼
Dee has been given to 15,830 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2012. 623 babies were born in 1961, its single highest year.
When was Dee most popular? ▼
Dee was most popular in the 1960s decade with 4,826 total births. The single peak year was 1961.
Where is Dee most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dee are Texas (1,758 births), California (1,528 births), Ohio (715 births).
Is Dee a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Dee is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 15,830 births, and as a boy's name it has 7,269 births.
How long has the name Dee been used? ▼
Records for Dee go back to 1880, giving 133 years of history through 2012.
What names are similar to Dee? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Deena, Deedee, Deeann, Deedra, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Dee's data

  • Dee's decade-level peak was the 1960s (4,826 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Texas records the most Dees (1,758 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
  • Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Dee

Nearby Names Like Dee

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dee

Deena Girl
#5456 13,666 births
Deedee Girl
3,478 births
Deeann Girl
2,940 births
Deedra Girl
2,165 births
Deeanna Girl
1,948 births

Compare Dee side by side: Dee vs Deena Dee vs Deedee Dee vs Deeann

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Minerva #2434
15,823 births · Peak 1955
Brandie #12356
15,839 births · Peak 1982
Shania #2615
15,814 births · Peak 1996
Margery
15,791 births · Peak 1921
Casandra #8506
15,784 births · Peak 1990
Roseann #7283
15,878 births · Peak 1943
Cristal #2597
15,881 births · Peak 1991
Dallas #657
15,882 births · Peak 2015

Data Sources

Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.

Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2012 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dee: Baby Name Since 1880 - 15,830 Births, Peak 1961." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dee. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Dee draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.