Dean is an English surname and given name of Scottish origin, derived from the Middle English word 'deyne', which means 'valley'. It was originally used as a topographic surname for someone who lived in a valley. The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages and has since become a common unisex given name in many English-speaking countries.
The name Dean appears frequently in literature, with notable characters including the titular protagonist of the novel "Dean's December" by David Guterson, and the fictional band manager and record producer, Danny Dean, from Nick Hornby's novel and subsequent film adaptation, "High Fidelity". In popular culture, famous bearers of the name include American actor and musician Dean Winters, known for his role in the television series "Oz", and Australian rugby league player Dean Widders.
The name Dean has seen a varied pattern of popularity over the years, with significant fluctuations in the number of births each year. The peak periods were around World War I and again post-WWII, with a high of 79 births in 1932 and 69 births in 1927. However, since the late 1960s, the popularity of the name Dean has significantly declined, with fewer than 15 births per year from 1970 onwards, and as low as 5 births in several recent years. Overall, there have been a total of 2903 births named Dean since 1884.