De Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name 'De' originates from French, meaning 'of' or 'from', and has evolved through Old French and Middle French into its modern form. It reflects nobility and land ownership. There is no biblical relevance associated with the name. Historically, it gained popularity in medieval France and is now perceived as sophisticated. Notable figures include Robert De Niro and Oscar De La Hoya.
The name De is most popular in District of Columbia, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Millennials (Gen Y) generation in the Northeast region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, De has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'De' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 4628th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 5062nd out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 6502nd out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 5548th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 2936th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 5395th out of 24088 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 7232nd out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 4837th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 3888th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 5355th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 7557th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 15388th out of 35406 names. Discover how the name 'De' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "De"
Pronunciation
/diː/
Origin
French
Etymology
The name 'De' is derived from the French preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'. It is often used as a prefix in surnames to indicate nobility or origin.
Meaning
of, from
Language Evolution
Old French: de, Middle French: de, Modern French: de
Historical Usage
The use of 'De' as a prefix in names has been prevalent since the medieval period, particularly among the nobility in France, reflecting their land ownership or lineage.
Variants & Derivatives
Del, Dela, Dele
Modern Popularity & Image
In contemporary usage, 'De' is often associated with sophistication and elegance, commonly found in names of French origin.
Famous People
De Niro (Robert De Niro), De La Hoya (Oscar De La Hoya)
Explore More De Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "De"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "De"
"De" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 4628th of 7545 | 41 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 5062nd of 6773 | 23 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 6502nd of 7552 | 11 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 5548th of 10718 | 52 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 2936th of 16616 | 320 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 5395th of 24088 | 234 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 7232nd of 9107 | 15 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 4837th of 9204 | 60 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 3888th of 12526 | 187 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 5355th of 19264 | 154 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 7557th of 27321 | 152 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 15388th of 35406 | 73 |
Regional Popularity of "De" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
52.13% 1921st/3685 |
33.27% 1489th/4475 |
37.79% 1963rd/5194 |
44.56% 2815th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- |
43.47% 2245th/5164 |
43.48% 3180th/7313 |
67.40% 5030th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
Regional Popularity of "De" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - |
100.00% 2775th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - |
95.37% 3355th/3518 |
90.88% 3675th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
95.17% 3507th/3685 |
82.53% 3693rd/4475 |
- | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- |
73.80% 3811th/5164 |
80.31% 5873rd/7313 |
- |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "De"
This map shows the relative popularity of "De" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.