Denise is a feminine given name of French origin. It is derived from the Latin name Dionysius, which was used to refer to the Greek god of wine, pleasure, and theatre, Dionysus. The name Denise is believed to mean "devoted to Dionysus" or "follower of Dionysus."
The name Dionysius is composed of two elements: "Dion", which refers to the god Dionysus himself, and "-sius", a Latin suffix that indicates a follower or devotee. Over time, the name evolved from its original Latin form to become Denise in French.
Denise has been used as a given name for centuries, with its popularity varying over time and across different cultures. In France, it was a popular name during the 19th century but fell out of favor in the mid-20th century. However, it experienced a resurgence in popularity in the late 20th century and early 21st century.
Today, Denise is still used as a given name, particularly in France and other French-speaking countries. It may also be encountered in English-speaking countries, where it is sometimes used as an alternative to more common names likeDenise or Denyse.
In literature and popular culture, Denise has been the subject of several notable works, including "Denise : une enfant sage" by French author Colette and the song "Denise" by American rock band The Killers. However, it is important to note that these works do not necessarily reflect the origin, meaning, or history of the name Denise itself.
In conclusion, Denise is a feminine given name of French origin that is derived from the Latin name Dionysius. It means "devoted to Dionysus" or "follower of Dionysus," and has been used as a given name for centuries, with varying levels of popularity over time. Today, it continues to be used as a given name in several countries around the world.
The name Denise appears to have gone through significant fluctuations in popularity over the past century and a half. In its early years, from 1882 to 1914, it was relatively uncommon, with fewer than 25 births per year on average. However, starting in 1915, there was a marked increase in the number of girls named Denise, reaching a peak in 1952 with over 11,000 births.
The name remained quite popular throughout the 1950s and 1960s, with over 10,000 births per year each year from 1957 to 1964. After this period, its popularity began to decline steadily, falling below 5,000 births per year by 1973. This downward trend continued into the 1980s and 1990s, with fewer than 2,000 births per year recorded in most years between 1986 and 1999.
In the 21st century, Denise has become quite rare, with fewer than 500 births per year since 2004. The most recent data available shows that there were only 150 births of girls named Denise in 2023. Overall, according to these statistics, a total of 373,186 babies have been named Denise between 1882 and 2023.