Dempsey
Dempsey is a surname of Irish origin.
Meaning & Origin of Dempsey
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dempsey is a surname of Irish origin.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Dempsey
As a girl name
American parents first put Dempsey on the record books as a girl name in 1920, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 37 Dempseys were born — ranking #4,002 that year. About 45% of every Dempsey on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Dempsey ranks #4,347 for girls with 32 births, rising sharply (+18% over the past five years). All told, over 569 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1920s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Dempsey as a boy name dates back to 1880, when 11 babies received it. 1921 was its biggest year on record, with 108 newborns named Dempsey — #609 in the national rankings. As of 2026, Dempsey ranks #2,739 for boys with 47 births, falling sharply (-17%). All told, over 4K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Dempsey
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dempsey is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Dimpsy
- Demps
- Dumps
- Dumpy
- Dipsy
- Dipsey
- Damps
- Dampy
- Demby
- Temps
- Tempe
- Tempi
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dempsey
What does the name Dempsey mean?
How popular is Dempsey in 2026?
When was Dempsey most popular?
In which U.S. states is Dempsey most popular?
Is Dempsey a unisex name?
What names go well with Dempsey?
About the name Dempsey
Dempsey is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Dempsey's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #571. Use the chart and map above to compare Dempsey's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1921 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.