Dionysus
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus is the god of wine-making, orchards, fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus by the Greeks for a frenzy he is said to induce called baccheia.
Meaning & Origin of Dionysus
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus is the god of wine-making, orchards, fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus by the Greeks for a frenzy he is said to induce called baccheia.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Dionysus
Dionysus first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1973, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 13 Dionysuss were born — ranking #6,475 that year. As of 2026, Dionysus ranks #12,301 for baby boys with 5 births, rising sharply (+29% over the past five years). In total, more than 89 Dionysuss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Dionysus
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dionysus is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Dionysius
- Dionysis
- Dionysos
- Diagnosis
- Dionisio
- Dionysia
- Diathesis
- Diocese
- Deinonychus
- Cyanosis
- Dialysis
- Diaphysis
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dionysus
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About the name Dionysus
Dionysus is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1973 and has accumulated 89 births in the dataset. Dionysus's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #6,475. Use the chart and map above to compare Dionysus's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.