Declining since 1998, #14,942 for girls today.
Popularity of Denae since 1953
Babies named Denae per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 50 |
| 1960s | 167 |
| 1970s | 290 |
| 1980s | 631 |
| 1990s | 673 |
| 2000s | 529 |
| 2010s | 190 |
| 2020s | 39 |
Meaning & origin
Denae is a modern American name that first appeared on the Social Security Administration's records in 1953. Its popularity peaked in 1997, and since 1998 its usage has been steadily declining. Today, it is a relatively rare name: in 2025, only about 1 in every 321,453 newborn girls was named Denae, placing it at rank 14,942. The name never ranked among the top 1,000 names in any year, and it has no strong association with any particular state. Denae's creative spelling and soft sound fit a pattern of name coinage from the mid-20th century, blending elements of familiar names like Danae, Renee, or Daniel into a fresh form that feels both contemporary and personal.
Denae is a modern English coinage, likely a respelling of Danae (from Greek myth) or a combination of the prefix De- and the name Nae. It may also be influenced by Renee or a feminine variant of Daniel. The name emerged in the mid-20th century in the United States.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Deni, Dee, Nae
Sibling names for Denae
Names that share Denae's style, for a brother or sister.
