Denys is of Greek origin, meaning 'from Dionysius', which was derived from the name of the Greek god of wine and revelry. It is also a variant spelling of Denis. In France, Denys was once a popular royal name due to Saint Denis, the patron saint of Paris who was martyred in the third century AD. The name has been used by several French monarchs, including King Denys I of Brittany. Today, Denys is less common but still found in some English-speaking countries and France. It can be paired with a variety of middle names and surnames for a unique combination. Some notable individuals named Denys include French poet Denys Colomb de Daunant and Canadian politician Denys Picard.
The name Denys has seen fluctuations in popularity over the past eight decades, with peaks occurring more recently. The highest number of births recorded in any year was 13 in 2009, and there have been nine instances where ten or more babies were named Denys since 1986. However, the most common occurrence is five births per year, which has happened 35 times throughout this period.