Dewey Boy
Origin(s)
PronunciationDOO-ee / /ˈduː.i/Welsh; English
Meaning
Welsh: beloved; English: son of David
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Dewey is derived from the Welsh name Dewi, which is associated with Saint David, the patron saint of Wales. It gained popularity in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The name is often used as a diminutive or variation of David. Dewey has also been associated with notable figures in American history, particularly in education and politics.
Trend Summary
Dewey has seen fluctuating popularity in the United States, with a notable decline in recent decades.
Similar Names
Variants
- Dewy
International Variants
- Dewi (Welsh)
Famous people named Dewey
Dewey Decimal: An American librarian known for creating the Dewey Decimal Classification system for organizing library materials.
Dewey Martin: A Canadian musician and actor known for his work with the band Buffalo Springfield.
Dewey Cox: A fictional character portrayed by John C. Reilly in the film 'Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.'.
Fictional characters named Dewey
Dewey Duck: A character from the Disney franchise 'DuckTales,' known as one of Donald Duck's nephews.
Dewey Finn: The main character in the film 'School of Rock,' played by Jack Black, who poses as a substitute teacher.
Sibling Suggestions
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Dewey was first seen in the United States in 1887. Dewey has ranked as high as #78 nationally, which occurred in 1898, and has been most popular in North Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. In the past 5 years the name Dewey has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
Top States for Dewey (2004)
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| KY | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 1887 | 5 |
| 1888 | 7 |
| 1889 | 13 |
| 1890 | 16 |
| 1891 | 9 |
| 1892 | 8 |
| 1893 | 8 |
| 1894 | 17 |
| 1895 | 28 |
| 1896 | 63 |
| 1897 | 158 |
| 1898 | 1,115 |
| 1899 | 499 |
| 1900 | 345 |
| 1901 | 137 |
| 1902 | 136 |
| 1903 | 140 |
| 1904 | 97 |
| 1905 | 99 |
| 1906 | 83 |
| 1907 | 93 |
| 1908 | 99 |
| 1909 | 91 |
| 1910 | 87 |
| 1911 | 107 |
| 1912 | 166 |
| 1913 | 172 |
| 1914 | 205 |
| 1915 | 286 |
| 1916 | 357 |
| 1917 | 417 |
| 1918 | 556 |
| 1919 | 607 |
| 1920 | 619 |
| 1921 | 762 |
| 1922 | 714 |
| 1923 | 762 |
| 1924 | 773 |
| 1925 | 798 |
| 1926 | 767 |
| 1927 | 720 |
| 1928 | 675 |
| 1929 | 634 |
| 1930 | 653 |
| 1931 | 597 |
| 1932 | 583 |
| 1933 | 520 |
| 1934 | 514 |
| 1935 | 503 |
| 1936 | 500 |
| 1937 | 479 |
| 1938 | 501 |
| 1939 | 478 |
| 1940 | 542 |
| 1941 | 476 |
| 1942 | 506 |
| 1943 | 566 |
| 1944 | 653 |
| 1945 | 478 |
| 1946 | 522 |
| 1947 | 553 |
| 1948 | 615 |
| 1949 | 461 |
| 1950 | 393 |
| 1951 | 418 |
| 1952 | 420 |
| 1953 | 390 |
| 1954 | 392 |
| 1955 | 403 |
| 1956 | 389 |
| 1957 | 367 |
| 1958 | 331 |
| 1959 | 328 |
| 1960 | 318 |
| 1961 | 302 |
| 1962 | 280 |
| 1963 | 291 |
| 1964 | 281 |
| 1965 | 271 |
| 1966 | 235 |
| 1967 | 208 |
| 1968 | 225 |
| 1969 | 216 |
| 1970 | 228 |
| 1971 | 220 |
| 1972 | 182 |
| 1973 | 149 |
| 1974 | 159 |
| 1975 | 164 |
| 1976 | 134 |
| 1977 | 139 |
| 1978 | 118 |
| 1979 | 142 |
| 1980 | 135 |
| 1981 | 105 |
| 1982 | 108 |
| 1983 | 99 |
| 1984 | 93 |
| 1985 | 67 |
| 1986 | 88 |
| 1987 | 74 |
| 1988 | 76 |
| 1989 | 77 |
| 1990 | 65 |
| 1991 | 62 |
| 1992 | 68 |
| 1993 | 51 |
| 1994 | 44 |
| 1995 | 36 |
| 1996 | 50 |
| 1997 | 37 |
| 1998 | 50 |
| 1999 | 29 |
| 2000 | 32 |
| 2001 | 24 |
| 2002 | 33 |
| 2003 | 30 |
| 2004 | 38 |
| 2005 | 30 |
| 2006 | 27 |
| 2007 | 42 |
| 2008 | 36 |
| 2009 | 25 |
| 2010 | 20 |
| 2011 | 21 |
| 2012 | 32 |
| 2013 | 28 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 16 |
| 2017 | 28 |
| 2018 | 26 |
| 2019 | 28 |
| 2020 | 30 |
| 2021 | 35 |
| 2022 | 19 |
| 2023 | 23 |
| 2024 | 31 |