UK name, mostly boys
Denim
A unisex name of French origin meaning "course fabric".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 6 girls.
Denim is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Denim popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4747, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 6 births.
This profile covers 24 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 1996 to 2015. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 27 living people in the UK are called Denim. 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 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Denim ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales in 2015, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 6 boys were registered as Denim.
- • Denim ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #638 in 2008.
- • Denim is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 27 living people in the UK are estimated to have Denim as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 80.0% of Denim registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4747
2015
Births in 2015
3
Latest year
Peak year
2007
6 births
Estimated living
27
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Denim
In England and Wales birth records, Denim has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 80.0% of registrations are for boys and 20.0% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Denim registered for boys
- Ranked #4,747 in 2015
- 3 boys registered in 2015
- Peak: 2007 (6 births)
Denim registered for girls
- Ranked #5,061 in 2006
- 3 girls registered in 2006
- Peak: 2003 (3 births)
Meaning
What does Denim mean?
The given name Denim is of English origin, derived from the French phrase "de Nimes" which translates to "from Nimes". Nimes is a city in southern France known for its production of a durable cotton twill fabric, now referred to as denim. The name initially referred to this fabric, rather than a personal name.
The earliest recorded use of the term "denim" dates back to the late 17th century, around the 1690s, when it was used to describe the sturdy woven cloth made in the city of Nimes. Over time, as the fabric gained popularity and became associated with clothing, particularly jeans, the name Denim emerged as a unique given name.
There are no known historical references or mentions of the name Denim in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records prior to its association with the fabric. The name's popularity as a given name is a relatively modern phenomenon.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the given name Denim is Denim Bradshaw, an American businessman born in 1962. He is the founder and former CEO of a successful jeans manufacturing company, which may have influenced his parents' choice of this unique name.
Another notable individual with the name Denim is Denim Lewis, an American fashion designer born in 1975. She is known for her line of denim-inspired clothing and accessories, further cementing the connection between the name and the fabric.
In the world of music, Denim Sundae is the stage name of an American singer-songwriter born in 1988. Her unique name has contributed to her distinctive and memorable brand.
Denim Millipede, born in 1972, is a British artist and sculptor known for his large-scale installations and sculptures made from recycled denim jeans, further emphasizing the name's association with the fabric.
Lastly, Denim Davie, born in 1982, is a Canadian professional wrestler whose ring name also reflects the connection between the name and the iconic denim fabric associated with ruggedness and durability.
While the name Denim is relatively uncommon, these individuals have embraced its unique origins and associations, contributing to its recognition as a distinctive given name in various fields.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Denim over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Denim in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Denim, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2015, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Denim by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Denim 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4747 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3208 | 17 | 4 |
| 1990s | #2357 | 4 | 1 |
Geography
Where Denim is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Denim. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Denim ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #638 in 2008.
Across the UK
Denim in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#638 in 2008
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Denim
- Daniel 120,900
- Dylan 60,836
- David 37,852
- Dominic 20,480
- Declan 11,657
- Dexter 11,627
- Danny 8,434
- Dean 5,329
- Dillon 4,113
- Douglas 3,773
- Dominik 3,494
- Damian 3,486
FAQ
Denim: questions and answers
How popular is the name Denim in the UK right now?
In 2015, Denim was ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Denim most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 6 babies registered as Denim in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Denim?
A unisex name of French origin meaning "course fabric".
How many people are called Denim in the UK?
A total of 24 babies have been registered as Denim across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Denim most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Denim ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #638 in 2008. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.