UK girl's name
Dempsie
A feminized form of the English surname Dempsey, meaning "defender of the people".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2005. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Dempsie is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Dempsie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2005 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4798, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2005 to 2005. 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.
Dempsie is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Dempsie. 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 2006 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Dempsie ranked #4798 for girls in England and Wales in 2005, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 3 girls were registered as Dempsie.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dempsie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4798
2005
Births in 2005
3
Latest year
Peak year
2005
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Dempsie mean?
The name Dempsie is of English origin and is believed to have emerged in the late 16th century. It is a diminutive form of the name Dempster, which itself is derived from the Old English word "dēmestre," meaning a judge or arbiter. The root of this word can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic "dōmistre," which means a dispenser of justice.
While the name Dempsie does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its roots can be linked to the administration of law and justice in medieval England. The earliest recorded instance of the name Dempsie is found in parish records from the late 1500s, where it was likely used as a nickname or a shortened form of Dempster.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Dempsie was Robert Dempsie, a Scottish mathematician and astronomer born in 1679. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and published several treatises on the motions of planets and comets.
In the 18th century, John Dempsie (1720-1789) was a prominent English architect known for his work on several churches and manor houses in the counties of Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire.
During the Victorian era, Mary Dempsie (1834-1908) was a renowned English writer and poet, whose works often explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition. Her collection of poems, "Musings of the Heart," published in 1872, was widely acclaimed and earned her a place among the notable literary figures of her time.
In the 20th century, William Dempsie (1901-1985) was a British diplomat and statesman who served as the Ambassador to the United States from 1949 to 1953. He played a crucial role in strengthening the post-war alliance between the two nations and was instrumental in the negotiations that led to the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Another notable figure with the name Dempsie was the American actress and singer, Dorothy Dempsie (1915-2008). She had a successful career on Broadway and in Hollywood, appearing in numerous musicals and films throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Her iconic performance as Eliza Doolittle in the 1956 production of "My Fair Lady" remains one of her most celebrated roles.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Dempsie by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dempsie 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4798 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Dempsie
- Daisy 49,435
- Danielle 13,507
- Darcie 11,010
- Darcy 10,516
- Darcey 9,708
- Delilah 9,098
- Demi 9,052
- Daniella 4,324
- Destiny 3,732
- Diana 3,258
- Dorothy 3,104
- Dolly 2,246
FAQ
Dempsie: questions and answers
How popular is the name Dempsie in the UK right now?
In 2005, Dempsie was ranked #4798 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Dempsie most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 3 babies registered as Dempsie in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Dempsie?
A feminized form of the English surname Dempsey, meaning "defender of the people".
How many people are called Dempsie in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Dempsie across the 1 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.