Denver
Denver was the 518th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 578 babies. Its best year was 1919, when it ranked 422nd; the most babies were born in 2022 (645). Over the last ten years it has moved up 381 places. More babies were named Denver in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · English, Old English
Say it DEN-ver /ˈdɛnvər/
- Rank in 2025
- #518 boys, up 8 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 578boys
- Girls and boys
- 36% girls, 64% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2022645 babies
- Total since 1880
- 23,413babies recorded
What does the name Denver mean?
Denver is the capital of Colorado, named after James W. Denver, governor of Kansas Territory, as Wiktionary notes. The English surname is explained either as Old English Dene-fær, "crossing of the Danes", or as denu, "valley", plus ofer, "bank"; neither is certain. The singer John Denver took his stage name from the city. As a first name it is used for boys and girls.
Dene (Old English, “Danes”)fær (Old English, “passage, crossing”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Two proposed surname origins; the given name usually refers to the city.
Related names: Denny, Dever.
See also: English names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Denver', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary.com Unabridged (based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary), with Collins English Dictionary, s.v. 'Denver', Dictionary.com / Random House / HarperCollins
- CMU Pronouncing Dictionary (cmudict), Carnegie Mellon University
Denver popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #836 | #518 | 326 | 578 |
| 2020 | #896 | #526 | 295 | 542 |
| 2010 | #3,531 | #1,332 | 45 | 128 |
| 2000 | #4,218 | #894 | 29 | 175 |
| 1990 | #11,773 | #1,002 | 6 | 111 |
| 1980 | — | #881 | — | 103 |
| 1970 | — | #870 | — | 86 |
| 1960 | — | #749 | — | 106 |
| 1950 | #4,867 | #596 | 6 | 131 |
| 1940 | — | #484 | — | 142 |
| 1930 | — | #511 | — | 136 |
| 1920 | #5,165 | #442 | 5 | 189 |
| 1910 | — | #604 | — | 23 |
| 1900 | — | #705 | — | 13 |
| 1890 | — | #681 | — | 9 |
| 1880 | — | #943 | — | 5 |
How popular is Denver, counting every spelling?
Denver has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #521 for boys in 2025, against #518 on the official list, because Kason/Kasen/Casen and Mohamed/Mohammad/Mohammed and Chosen/Chozen/Chozyn move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Denver?
578 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Denver (0.16 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Denver born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 15 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Denver.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Denver?
About 13,200 people born in the US named Denver are alive today, with a median age of 21; half are between 6 and 48. That makes Denver mostly worn by children and young adults. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Denver by state
How common Denver was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Arkansas (3.8×), Oklahoma (3.3×), Louisiana (3.2×), Mississippi (2.9×), West Virginia (2.2×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Washington.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Denver: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Denver, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Denver · Sibling names for Denver
Questions about the name Denver
What does Denver mean?
The origin of Denver is uncertain: two proposed surname origins; the given name usually refers to the city.
How popular is the name Denver?
Denver was the 518th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 578 babies. Its best year was 1919, when it ranked 422nd; the most babies were born in 2022 (645). Over the last ten years it has moved up 381 places. More babies were named Denver in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Denver a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 36% girls, 64% boys given the name Denver in the US.
Where is Denver most popular?
In 2021–2025, Denver was most common in Arkansas (1.34 per 1,000 boys), followed by Oklahoma and Louisiana.