Dennette

Meaning & origin

Dennette is a rare feminine name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1957. It reached its peak rank in 1966, though even then it was not among the top 1000 names. In the 1960s, less than 100 babies were named Dennette per year across the entire country. The name has since become extremely uncommon, with fewer than 5 births annually in recent years. Its trajectory has remained stable at a very low level since the 1970s. Dennette is a diminutive form of Denise, ultimately of Greek origin, and was likely coined as a feminine variant of Dennis. It has no associated top states, indicating its usage was scattered rather than concentrated regionally.

Dennette is a diminutive or feminine variant of Dennis, itself from the Greek Dionysios, meaning 'follower of Dionysos', the Greek god of wine and festivity. The name was popularized in the United States as a coinage during the mid-20th century, combining the root 'Den-' with the fashionable suffix '-ette', often used for feminine forms. It never became widespread, with its peak usage in 1966, and has since faded from common use.