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
Dempsey first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1920, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 37 Dempseys were born — ranking #4,002 that year. As of 2026, Dempsey ranks #4,347 for girls with 32 births, rising sharply (+18% over the past five years). In total, more than 569 Dempseys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Dempsey first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 11 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1921, when 108 Dempseys were born — ranking #609 that year. As of 2026, Dempsey ranks #2,739 for boys with 47 births, falling sharply (-17%). In total, more than 4K Dempseys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through 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.