Denver Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DEN-ver //ˈdɛnvər//
Origin: English; Native American
Meaning: English: green valley; Native American: from the river
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Denver is believed to have originated from the Old French surname "D'Anvers," which means "from Anvers," referring to the city of Antwerp in Belgium. This surname was likely brought to England by the Normans during the 11th century.
Over time, the name evolved, and the spelling transformed into various forms, including "Denvers" and eventually "Denver." The transition into English usage can be traced back to the medieval period, where it began to be adopted as a given name, particularly in the 19th century in the United States. Historically, the name Denver gained prominence in the 19th century with the establishment of Denver, Colorado, in 1858, named after James W.
Denver, a governor of the Kansas Territory. This city became a significant hub during the Gold Rush, contributing to the name's association with prosperity and opportunity.
The name also appears in various historical documents and literature, reflecting its growing recognition during this period. While not directly linked to biblical figures or saints, the name's connection to a burgeoning American city during a transformative era in U.S.
history lends it a sense of cultural significance. Culturally, Denver has come to symbolize the spirit of the American West, embodying themes of exploration and adventure.
The name is often associated with the rugged landscape of Colorado and the pioneering spirit of those who settled in the region. Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Denny" have emerged, providing a more casual alternative while maintaining a connection to the original name.
Overall, Denver carries a legacy that intertwines geographical, historical, and cultural narratives, marking its place in the tapestry of American identity.
Fictional characters named Denver
The following list of fictional characters named Denver is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Denver is a fictional character from the television series Money Heist (La Casa de Papel). He is a key member of the heist crew known for his loyalty and strong bond with his father, who is also part of the team.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Denver, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Denver. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Denver was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Denver has ranked as high as #808 nationally, which occurred in 2022, and has been most popular in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Texas, and Missouri.
In the past 5 years the name Denver has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Denver is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Denver was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Denver (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 60 | |
| FL | 42 | |
| OH | 41 | |
| GA | 40 | |
| NC | 31 | |
| MI | 30 | |
| TN | 29 | |
| CA | 27 | |
| MO | 24 | |
| IN | 24 | |
| AL | 21 | |
| KY | 19 | |
| AR | 18 | |
| OK | 18 | |
| LA | 17 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Denver.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 633 |
| 2023 | 587 |
| 2022 | 644 |
| 2021 | 579 |
| 2020 | 542 |
| 2019 | 423 |
| 2018 | 370 |
| 2017 | 274 |
| 2016 | 269 |
| 2015 | 242 |
| 2014 | 188 |
| 2013 | 162 |
| 2012 | 140 |
| 2011 | 142 |
| 2010 | 127 |
| 2009 | 132 |
| 2008 | 168 |
| 2007 | 147 |
| 2006 | 146 |
| 2005 | 151 |
| 2004 | 134 |
| 2003 | 157 |
| 2002 | 146 |
| 2001 | 164 |
| 2000 | 175 |
| 1999 | 210 |
| 1998 | 196 |
| 1997 | 161 |
| 1996 | 146 |
| 1995 | 157 |
| 1994 | 158 |
| 1993 | 120 |
| 1992 | 119 |
| 1991 | 118 |
| 1990 | 111 |
| 1989 | 94 |
| 1988 | 97 |
| 1987 | 109 |
| 1986 | 106 |
| 1985 | 93 |
| 1984 | 95 |
| 1983 | 106 |
| 1982 | 118 |
| 1981 | 115 |
| 1980 | 103 |
| 1979 | 120 |
| 1978 | 113 |
| 1977 | 109 |
| 1976 | 111 |
| 1975 | 123 |
| 1974 | 101 |
| 1973 | 90 |
| 1972 | 94 |
| 1971 | 102 |
| 1970 | 86 |
| 1969 | 96 |
| 1968 | 92 |
| 1967 | 98 |
| 1966 | 88 |
| 1965 | 78 |
| 1964 | 124 |
| 1963 | 97 |
| 1962 | 103 |
| 1961 | 102 |
| 1960 | 106 |
| 1959 | 116 |
| 1958 | 120 |
| 1957 | 103 |
| 1956 | 129 |
| 1955 | 135 |
| 1954 | 118 |
| 1953 | 134 |
| 1952 | 140 |
| 1951 | 169 |
| 1950 | 131 |
| 1949 | 154 |
| 1948 | 160 |
| 1947 | 177 |
| 1946 | 168 |
| 1945 | 152 |
| 1944 | 126 |
| 1943 | 144 |
| 1942 | 154 |
| 1941 | 121 |
| 1940 | 142 |
| 1939 | 135 |
| 1938 | 136 |
| 1937 | 167 |
| 1936 | 137 |
| 1935 | 172 |
| 1934 | 128 |
| 1933 | 140 |
| 1932 | 153 |
| 1931 | 120 |
| 1930 | 136 |
| 1929 | 157 |
| 1928 | 161 |
| 1927 | 194 |
| 1926 | 161 |
| 1925 | 203 |
| 1924 | 165 |
| 1923 | 178 |
| 1922 | 174 |
| 1921 | 193 |
| 1920 | 189 |
| 1919 | 193 |
| 1918 | 120 |
| 1917 | 150 |
| 1916 | 117 |
| 1915 | 148 |
| 1914 | 87 |
| 1913 | 74 |
| 1912 | 56 |
| 1911 | 21 |
| 1910 | 23 |
| 1909 | 18 |
| 1908 | 17 |
| 1907 | 19 |
| 1906 | 7 |
| 1905 | 14 |
| 1904 | 14 |
| 1903 | 9 |
| 1902 | 14 |
| 1901 | 11 |
| 1900 | 13 |
| 1899 | 10 |
| 1898 | 8 |
| 1897 | 6 |
| 1895 | 12 |
| 1894 | 6 |
| 1890 | 9 |
| 1889 | 7 |
| 1887 | 6 |
| 1880 | 5 |