Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth largest by area, and the third-most populous city in the area of former East Germany, after Berlin and Leipzig.
Meaning & Origin of Dresden
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dresden is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth largest by area, and the third-most populous city in the area of former East Germany, after Berlin and Leipzig.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Dresden
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Dresden as a girl name dates back to 1964, when 5 babies received it. 2017 was its biggest year on record, with 13 newborns named Dresden — #8,297 in the national rankings. About 39% of every Dresden on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. Dresden last appeared in the published SSA data in 2017, with 13 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 183 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Dresden on the record books as a boy name in 1989, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2012, when 73 Dresdens were born — ranking #1,942 that year. About 52% of every Dresden on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Dresden ranks #4,728 for boys with 21 births, falling sharply (-30%). All told, over 998 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1980s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Dresden
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dresden 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 Dresden
What does the name Dresden mean?
How popular is Dresden in 2026?
When was Dresden most popular?
In which U.S. states is Dresden most popular?
Is Dresden a unisex name?
What names go well with Dresden?
About the name Dresden
Dresden is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1989 and has accumulated 998 births in the dataset. Dresden's peak popularity came in 2012 when it ranked #1,942. Use the chart and map above to compare Dresden's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2012 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- 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.