Dean, a surname-turned-given-name, can either be derived from the Middle English word dene, meaning "valley," or Middle English word deen, referring to someone who has worked as a dean. It has been a top-400 boy's name in the United States every year since 1900, according to the Social Security Administration. It peaked inside the top-100 every between 1956 and 1969 before seeing a resurgence in recent years. Dean has now been a top-200 boy's name every year since 2017. "The Real Housewives of Potomac" star Ashley Darby named her baby boy Dean Michael Darby in 2019, while "Beverly Hills, 90210" star Tori Spelling used it as a middle name for her son, Beau Dean, whom she shares with Dean McDermott.
