NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Dea

Feminine form of "deus", the Latin word for "goddess".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Dea is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Dea popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2000, with 14 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 20 births.

This profile covers 284 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1999 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 70% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 283 living people in the UK are called Dea. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Dea ranked #2000 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 14 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 20 girls were registered as Dea.
  • About 283 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dea as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2000

2024

Births in 2024

14

Latest year

Peak year

2023

20 births

Estimated living

283

2026

Meaning

What does Dea mean?

The name Dea is of Latin origin and can be traced back to ancient Roman times. It is derived from the word "dea," which translates to "goddess" in English. This name was often given to girls in honor of various Roman goddesses, such as Minerva, Venus, or Diana.

In ancient Roman mythology, the word "dea" was used to refer to female deities who were revered and worshipped by the people. These goddesses were believed to possess divine powers and were associated with different aspects of life, such as love, beauty, wisdom, and fertility.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dea can be found in Roman inscriptions and historical documents dating back to the first century AD. However, it is likely that the name was in use even earlier, as the worship of goddesses was a prominent part of Roman culture and religion.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Dea. One example is Dea Celida, a Roman woman who lived in the first century AD and whose name is inscribed on a tombstone found in Rome. Another is Dea Candida, a Roman philosopher and writer from the second century AD, who is known for her works on Stoic philosophy.

In the medieval period, the name Dea was less common but still appeared in various records. One notable figure was Dea of Merania (c. 1187-1212), a Bavarian noblewoman and the wife of the Count Palatine of the Rhine.

During the Renaissance, the name experienced a revival as classical culture and mythology became popular again. One example from this period is Dea Loher (1564-1635), a German artist and engraver who was renowned for her work in copper engraving.

In more modern times, the name Dea has been used by several artists and writers. One such individual was Dea Trier Mørch (1889-1985), a Norwegian painter and illustrator known for her landscape and portrait works.

While the name Dea is not as common today as it was in ancient times, it has remained in use throughout various cultures and time periods, carrying with it the historical significance and associations with goddesses and divine femininity.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Dea over time

The chart below shows babies named Dea registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Dea, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 14 births in 2024, compared with 20 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Dea
05101520199920112024

Decades

Dea by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dea was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #1967 72 5
2010s #2184 127 10
2000s #2513 79 10
1990s #2444 6 1

Related

Names similar to Dea

FAQ

Dea: questions and answers

How popular is the name Dea in the UK right now?

In 2024, Dea was ranked #2000 for girls in England and Wales, with 14 births registered.

When was Dea most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 20 babies registered as Dea in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Dea?

Feminine form of "deus", the Latin word for "goddess".

How many people are called Dea in the UK?

A total of 284 babies have been registered as Dea across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.