Boy · #4,724 in 2026

Dude

Dude is American slang for an individual, typically male. From the 1870s to the 1960s, dude primarily meant a male person who dressed in an extremely fashionable manner or a conspicuous citified person who was visiting a rural location, a "city slicker". In the 1960s, dude evolved to mean any male person, a meaning that slipped into mainstream American slang in the 1970s.

Current Rank
#4,724
Peak Rank
#3,096 (1918)
Total Babies
45
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1912
First Year
1970
Last Year
1918
Peak Year
#3096
Peak Rank
45
Total Count
8
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Dude

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

Dude is American slang for an individual, typically male. From the 1870s to the 1960s, dude primarily meant a male person who dressed in an extremely fashionable manner or a conspicuous citified person who was visiting a rural location, a "city slicker". In the 1960s, dude evolved to mean any male person, a meaning that slipped into mainstream American slang in the 1970s.

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

Origin & history
Evander Berry Wall , a New York socialite, was dubbed "King of the Dudes". He is pictured (1888) in the New York American newspaper at the time of the "battle of the Dudes". The etymology of the term "dude" is obscure. "Dude" may have derived from the 18th-century word "doodle", as in "Yankee Doodle Dandy". In the popular press of the 1880s and 1890s, "dude" was a new word for " dandy "—an "extremely well-dressed male", a man who assigned particular importance to his appearance. The café society and Bright Young Things of the late 1800s and early 1900s were populated with dudes. Young men of l

The Story of Dude

Dude first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1912, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 8 Dudes were born — ranking #3,096 that year. As of 2026, Dude ranks #4,724 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 45 Dudes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Dude

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

  • Dood
  • Dewed
  • Dewd
  • Dudh
  • Dead
  • Did
  • Dad
  • Died
  • Deed
  • Dud
  • Ded
  • Dod

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dude

What does the name Dude mean?
Dude is American slang for an individual, typically male. From the 1870s to the 1960s, dude primarily meant a male person who dressed in an extremely fashionable manner or a conspicuous citified person who was visiting a rural location, a "city slicker". In the 1960s, dude evolved to mean any male person, a meaning that slipped into mainstream American slang in the 1970s.
How popular is Dude in 2026?
In 2026, Dude ranks #4,724 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Dude most popular?
Dude reached its peak popularity in 1918, ranking #3,096 that year with 8 babies given the name.
Is Dude a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Dude is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Dude?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Dude include Lot, Amasa, Benjman. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Lot
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Amasa
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👦
Benjman
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👦
Dollie
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👦
Bub
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👦
Huley
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Hudie
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Elburn
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About the name Dude

Dude is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 45 births in the dataset. Dude's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #3,096. Use the chart and map above to compare Dude'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.