Dewey
Anglicized form of Welsh Dewi, the Welsh form of David (“beloved”); it surged after Admiral George Dewey’s 1898 victory at Manila Bay.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Dewey first shows up in the national records in 1887. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in every year from 1898 to 1900. Its biggest year was 1898, when 1,115 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 19 nationally. All told, 34,920 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Dee (23,099) (total births since 1880)
Other names that share a story: David
Explore Dewey interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 25 | No. 525 |
| 1890s | 1,921 | No. 19 |
| 1900s | 1,320 | No. 75 |
| 1910s | 2,960 | No. 205 |
| 1920s | 7,224 | No. 181 |
| 1930s | 5,328 | No. 205 |
| 1940s | 5,372 | No. 213 |
| 1950s | 3,831 | No. 333 |
| 1960s | 2,627 | No. 452 |
| 1970s | 1,635 | No. 535 |
| 1980s | 921 | No. 758 |
| 1990s | 492 | No. 1371 |
| 2000s | 317 | No. 2741 |
| 2010s | 234 | No. 3297 |
| 2020s | 166 | No. 3297 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.