Denis

♀ Girl

Pronounced DEN-is /ˈdɛn.ɪs/High

Meaning: Denis is a French and Greek form of Dennis, ultimately from Dionysius, 'follower of Dionysus,' the Greek god of wine and revelry. It is strongly a boy's name across many cultures; here it is used for a girl, which we note.Medium

In 30 seconds: A classic form of Dennis: Denis traces to Dionysus, god of wine (said 'DEN-is'). More often a boy's name, which we note.

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Origin MediumGreek, French

MeaningDenis is a French and Greek form of Dennis, ultimately from Dionysius, 'follower of Dionysus,' the Greek god of wine and revelry. It is strongly a boy's name across many cultures; here it is used for a girl, which we note.

U.S. rank (2025)#13640 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2008

Total births (all-time)≈ 873

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

As a name, Denis is a French and Greek form of Dennis, from Dionysius, tied to the god Dionysus. Long borne by men — including Saint Denis, patron of Paris — it is used here for a girl, though it leans strongly to boys, which we note (said 'DEN-is').

For girls it appears only very rarely in the U.S., against far heavier boys' and international male use. Rare, classic, and boy-leaning.

Did you know? Denis is the French form of Dennis, from Dionysius — 'follower of Dionysus,' the Greek god of wine. Saint Denis is the patron of Paris. It's far more often a boy's name, which we note (said 'DEN-is').

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Denis — French/Greek form of Dennis, from Dionysus; strongly boy-leaning

Variations

DennisDenysDenise

Nicknames

DenDeni

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Denis…

Denise— the common feminine of Denis

Dionne— a like Dionysus-rooted name

Dennis— the standard English form

Dena— a like soft short cousin

Explore names like Denis

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Denis mean?

Denis is a French/Greek form of Dennis, from Dionysius, 'follower of Dionysus,' the Greek god of wine.

How do you pronounce Denis?

It's said DEN-is /ˈdɛn.ɪs/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Denis a boy or girl name?

Denis is far more often a boy's name; here it is used for a girl, and we note the lean.

How popular is Denis?

Denis is a very rare name for girls in the U.S. and more common for boys.