Dempsey is Irish in origin, though its precise meaning is uncertain. It comes to use as a surname turned given name, carrying the bold, two-syllable cadence common to Irish family names.

It appears in several near spellings, Dimpsey, Demsey, Dimsey, and Dempsy, all circling the same Irish name.

Did you know? Dempsey likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.

Overall data confidence 70%

Behind the Name - Dempsey — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

DimpseyDemseyDimseyDempsy

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Dempsey…

Delaney— Another Irish surname used as a given name with a similar lilt.

Harley— lands in the same popularity range

Kacey— the same unisex feel

Radley— a fellow English choice

Mickey— a fellow English choice

Explore names like Dempsey

By themeenglish surname-name unisex irish

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Dempsey mean?

Dempsey is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Irish tradition.

How do you pronounce Dempsey?

It's commonly said DEMP-see /ˈdemp.si/.

Is Dempsey a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Dempsey is used as a boy name.

How popular is Dempsey?

In 2024, Dempsey ranked #2833 in the U.S. for boys, with 45 births recorded.