Fun Facts About the Name Dev
- More than 3 thousand babies named Dev: U.S. records list 3,146 babies given the name Dev from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Dev Mean?
Dev means "god" or "divine" and comes from Sanskrit. The Sanskrit noun deva (देव) means "god, deity" and also carries the sense "heavenly." It is the ordinary word for a god in Hindu texts, used for the gods as a group and as a respectful title, and it forms the first element of many personal names, including Devendra, Devanand, and Devraj.
Linguists trace deva to an Indo-European word for a celestial being, reconstructed as *deywós, built on a root meaning "sky" or "to shine." The same root lies behind Latin deus and divus, the Greek god name Zeus, and Old Norse Týr. These are cognates - forms inherited from a common ancestor - rather than borrowings, so the resemblance reflects shared descent, not one language influencing another.
An identical-looking name has a separate source in English. Dev is also used as a short form of Devon and Devin, which come from an English place name and from Gaelic-influenced naming respectively. In those cases the Sanskrit meaning does not apply.
Dev Name History & Origins
Sanskrit deva is attested in the oldest layer of Indian literature, the Rigveda, where it names the gods - Indra, Agni, and Varuna among them - and stands opposite the asuras. It works as a common noun, an honorific, and a name element, and in later Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain texts it also refers to heavenly beings inhabiting the various realms of the cosmos. In Iranian languages the same inherited word took a different turn: Old Persian daiva- shifted in meaning to "demon," giving modern Persian dēv, a change tied to Zoroastrian revaluation of the old gods.
As a name element, deva has a long recorded history in India. Devadatta, literally "god-given," appears in early Buddhist texts, and compounds such as Devendra and Devaraja follow the same pattern of a divine word joined to a second element. The short standalone form Dev is used across Hindi-, Punjabi-, Gujarati-, Marathi-, and Bengali-speaking communities and is written देव in Devanagari script. In Punjabi and Sikh naming it also appears inside longer compounds such as Gurdev and Devinder.
In the English-speaking world, Dev is used both as a full name reflecting the Sanskrit word and, independently, as a shortened form of Devon or Devin. Because the two uses produce the same spelling, the name in any single case may belong to either tradition.
How Popular is the Name Dev?
Dev has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2009. Its best rank was #1,235 in 2009.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,427 | 126 | 0.0074% |
| 2024 | #1,392 | 134 | 0.0078% |
| 2023 | #1,579 | 110 | 0.0064% |
| 2022 | #1,591 | 111 | 0.0064% |
| 2021 | #1,567 | 111 | 0.0063% |
| 2020 | #1,638 | 98 | 0.0057% |
| 2019 | #1,498 | 114 | 0.0064% |
| 2018 | #1,481 | 117 | 0.0064% |
| 2017 | #1,336 | 134 | 0.0072% |
| 2016 | #1,434 | 121 | 0.0064% |
| 2015 | #1,541 | 106 | 0.0055% |
| 2014 | #1,447 | 113 | 0.0059% |
| 2013 | #1,448 | 114 | 0.0060% |
| 2012 | #1,399 | 119 | 0.0063% |
| 2011 | #1,265 | 136 | 0.0072% |
| 2010 | #1,448 | 114 | 0.0059% |
| 2009 | #1,235 | 145 | 0.0073% |
| 2008 | #1,519 | 107 | 0.0052% |
| 2007 | #1,518 | 104 | 0.0050% |
| 2006 | #1,413 | 111 | 0.0054% |
| 2005 | #1,454 | 101 | 0.0051% |
| 2004 | #1,282 | 117 | 0.0059% |
| 2003 | #1,279 | 111 | 0.0056% |
| 2002 | #1,748 | 66 | 0.0034% |
| 2001 | #1,633 | 72 | 0.0037% |
| 2000 | #2,345 | 41 | 0.0021% |
| 1999 | #3,506 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1998 | #3,523 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1997 | #4,507 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1996 | #4,962 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #5,599 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #4,366 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #3,488 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1991 | #3,140 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1990 | #3,646 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1989 | #5,773 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #3,969 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #5,645 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #4,978 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #3,318 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #4,224 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1982 | #5,161 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #3,666 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #3,914 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1979 | #3,407 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1978 | #3,941 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #4,722 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #4,103 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1974 | #4,770 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #3,745 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1970 | #4,370 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #4,552 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Dev Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Dev's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Dev's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.