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Home › Baby Names Directory › Denzil

Denzil

♂ Boy

Pronounced DEN-zil /ˈdɛn.zɪl/High

Meaning: Denzil comes from a Cornish place name (recorded as Denzell in Cornwall) that became a landed-family surname and then a given name. It shares that Cornish root with the better-known Denzel; the -el spelling was later carried worldwide by actor Denzel Washington.Medium

In 30 seconds: Denzil is a Cornish place-name-turned-first-name (said 'DEN-zil'), the older British form of the name we now know as Denzel.
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Origin MediumCornish, English
MeaningDenzil comes from a Cornish place name (recorded as Denzell in Cornwall) that became a landed-family surname and then a given name. It shares that Cornish root with the better-known Denzel; the -el spelling was later carried worldwide by actor Denzel Washington.
U.S. rank (2020)#10933 ↗ Rising
2020 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1937
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,775

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 193718972020

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

Denzil began as a Cornish locality, passed into the Holles family as a surname, and was used as a christian name in England from the seventeenth century onward. It is the same root behind Denzel; the two are spelling cousins rather than separate names, with Denzil the traditional British form.

In the United States Denzil saw a gentle rise to a late-1930s peak, especially in Appalachian and Southern families, then tapered off. Its near-twin Denzel later soared on the fame of Denzel Washington, but the -il spelling has stayed a quieter, more old-world choice that has not been swept up in that momentum.

Did you know? Denzil traces to the Cornish manor that also gave us Denzel, and it was a working first name in Britain centuries before Denzel Washington made the -el spelling famous.
Overall data confidence 74%
References — Denzil — Cornish place name; cousin of Denzel; Denzil Holles bearer; 1937 peak

Variations

DenzelDenzellDenzal

Nicknames

DenDenny

Famous Bearers

  • ★Denzil Holles (1598–1680)
    English statesman and one of the Five Members King Charles I tried to arrest in 1642.

If you like Denzil…

Denzel— the spelling cousin sharing the same Cornish root
Russell— a like two-syllable surname-style boy's name
Dexter— a same-vintage -er/-il name with a crisp sound
Lionel— another old-world boy's name with a soft ending

Explore names like Denzil

By themevintagesurname-namecornish

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Denzil mean?

Denzil comes from a Cornish place name and is the traditional British form of the name Denzel.

How do you pronounce Denzil?

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

Is Denzil a boy or girl name?

Denzil is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Denzil?

Denzil was most common in the earlier twentieth century; its cousin Denzel later became far better known.

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