Boy · #10,889 in 2026

Demon

A demon is an evil or malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in media including fiction, comics, film, television, and video games.

Current Rank
#10,889
Peak Rank
#1,471 (1974)
Total Babies
845
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1969
First Year
2024
Last Year
1974
Peak Year
#1471
Peak Rank
845
Total Count
48
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Demon

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A demon is an evil or malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in media including fiction, comics, film, television, and video games.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
Further information: Daemon (classical mythology) , Agathodaemon , Cacodemon , Daimonic , and Eudaimonia Mephistopheles (a medieval demon from German folklore ) flying over Wittenberg , in a lithograph by Eugène Delacroix . The Ancient Greek word δαίμων ( daimōn ) denotes a spirit or divine power, much like the Latin genius or numen . Daimōn most likely came from the Greek verb daiesthai ( ' to divide ' or ' distribute ' ). The Greek conception of a daimōn notably appears in the philosophical works of Plato , where it describes the divine inspiration of Socrates . The original Greek word daimō
Origin & history
From an anthropological perspective, demons result from human fear of the unknown. Forces of nature and foreigners may be portrayed as demons if they are perceived as hostile or dangerous; an evil demon might be considered as a projection onto unknown entities which are perceived as potentially dangerous. Thus, unknown causes of death or illness are anthropomorphized into rational agents with evil intentions and then giving raise to the notion of a demon. Likewise, people outside one's own social group may be blamed for accidents and unexplained causes of harm, leading to a demonization of sai

The Story of Demon

Demon first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1969, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1974, when 35 Demons were born — ranking #1,471 that year. As of 2026, Demon ranks #10,889 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 845 Demons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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WA
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MI
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VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
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IL
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OH
PA
NJ
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RI
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MO
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VA
MD
DE
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Top 10
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500+
No data

Names that sound like Demon

Phonetically similar names — useful when Demon is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Demon

What does the name Demon mean?
A demon is an evil or malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in media including fiction, comics, film, television, and video games.
How popular is Demon in 2026?
In 2026, Demon ranks #10,889 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Demon most popular?
Demon reached its peak popularity in 1974, ranking #1,471 that year with 35 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Demon most popular?
Demon has historically been most popular in Louisiana, Michigan, Georgia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Demon.
Is Demon a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Demon is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Demon?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Demon include Silverio, Tonya, Shaan. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Demon

Demon is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1969 and has accumulated 845 births in the dataset. Demon's peak popularity came in 1974 when it ranked #1,471. Use the chart and map above to compare Demon's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.