| Pronunciation | /ˈdɛn.ɪs/ |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Language(s) | Greek, Latin, English, Danish, Swedish |
| Name day | Sweden: August 7 |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | Dionysus |
| Region of origin | Greece |
| Other names | |
| Alternative spelling | Denis, Dennys |
| Variant form(s) | Denise (Female) |
| Nickname(s) | Denny |
| Related names | Denis, Dinis, Diniz, Sidney |
Dennis or Denis is a first or last name from the Greco-Roman name Dionysius, via one of the Christian saints named Dionysius.
The name came from Dionysus, the Greek god of ecstatic states, particularly those produced by wine, which is sometimes said to be derived from the Greek Dios (Διός, "of Zeus") and Nysos or Nysa (Νῦσα), where the young god was raised. Dionysus (or Dionysos; also known as Bacchus in Roman mythology and associated with the Italic Liber), the Thracian god of wine, represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficent influences. He is viewed as the promoter of civilization, a lawgiver, and a lover of peace—as well as the patron deity of both agriculture and the theatre.
Dionysus is a god of mystery religious rites, such as those practised in honour of Demeter and Persephone at Eleusis near Athens. In the Thracian mysteries, he wears the "bassaris" or fox-skin, symbolizing new life. (See also Maenads.)
A mediaeval Latinised form of the Anglo-Norman surname Le Denys was Dacus, which correctly meant Dacian, but when the Vikings were about was often used to mean "Danish" or "The Dane". The name became modernised as Denys, then later as Dennis.
Alternative forms and spellings of the name include Denis, Denys, Dennys, Denish, Deon, Deonne, Deonte, and Dion, Dionice. Diminutive forms include Den, Dennoh, Deno, Denny, Deny and Deen.
The name Sydenie (alternate spellings: Sydney or Sidney) may derive from a village in Normandy called Saint-Denis.[ citation needed ] A medieval diminutive was Dye, from which the names Dyson and Tyson are derived.[ citation needed ]
Dennis is a very popular English, Irish and Danish name, common throughout the English-speaking world, and a very popular French name, common throughout the Francophone world. It is also common as a German, Italian, Dutch, Croatian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Russian, Bulgarian, Brazilian, Bosnian, and Albanian name.
Dionizy is the Polish version of the name, while Dionigi and Dionisio are the Italian versions of the name. The Irish name Donnchadh is sometimes anglicised as Denis, but has a different origin and is in fact related to the names Duncan and Donagh. Feminine versions of the name include: Denise, Denisa, Deni, Denice, Deniece, Dione, and Dionne.
Sylvester or Silvester is a name derived from the Latin adjective silvestris meaning "wooded" or "wild", which derives from the noun silva meaning "woodland". Classical Latin spells this with i. In Classical Latin, y represented a separate sound distinct from i, not a native Latin sound but one used in transcriptions of foreign words. After the Classical period y was pronounced as i. Spellings with Sylv- in place of Silv- date from after the Classical period.
Terry is a unisex diminutive nickname for the given names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence, Terrance (masculine).
Walter is a German and English masculine given name of Germanic origin, composed of the elements walt- "power", "ruler", and hari "army".
Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly, females.
Jamie is a unisex name. Traditionally a masculine name, it can be diminutive form of James or, more rarely, other names and is of Scottish Gaelic origin. It is also given as a name in its own right. Since the mid-20th century it has been used as an occasional feminine name particularly in the United States.
Samuel is a male name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "name of God", deriving from the Hebrew Shem (שֵׁם) + ʾĒl. However, from the explanation given in 1 Samuel 1:20, the name could alternatively come from a contraction of the Hebrew שְׁאִלְתִּיו מֵאֵל, meaning "I have asked/borrowed him from God". This is the verse in which the Prophet Samuel's mother Hannah names her son, after praying that she would be able to give birth. Her prayers having been answered, she dedicates the child to God as a Nazirite. Samuel was the last of the ruling judges in the Old Testament. He anointed Saul to be the first King of Israel and later anointed David.
Hart is an English, German, Dutch, Jewish (Ashkenazic), French and Irish surname. Notable people and characters with the surname Hart include:
Vicky, Vick, Vickie or Vicki is a feminine given name, often a hypocorism of Victoria. The feminine name Vicky in Greece comes from the name Vasiliki.
Leonard or Leo is a common English masculine given name and a surname.
Denise is a female given name. Dionysus is the Greek god of wine, and the name Denise means "to be devoted to Bacchus."
Joshua is a given name derived from the Hebrew יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, prominently belonging to Joshua, an early Hebrew leader of the Exodus period who has a major role in several books of the Bible. The name was a common alternative form of the name יֵשׁוּעַ (Yēšūaʿ) which corresponds to the Greek spelling Ἰησοῦς (Iesous), from which, through the Latin Iesus, comes the English spelling Jesus. As a result of the origin of the name, a majority of people before the 17th century who have this name were Jewish. A variant, truncated form of the name, Josh, gained popularity in the United States in the 1920s.
Willy or Willie is a masculine, male given name, often a diminutive form of William or Wilhelm, and occasionally a nickname. It may refer to:
Tom is mostly used as a diminutive of Thomas. In Germanic countries and Scandinavia, "Tom" is in use as a formal given name. In modern Hebrew, the name Tom is used as a unisex name, with the meaning of "innocence, naivety, simplicity" or "the end.”
Alex is a given name. It can refer to a shortened version of Alexander, Alexandra, or Alexis.
Kim is a unisex given name. It is also used as a diminutive or nickname for names such as Kimber, Kimberly, Kimberley, Kimball and Kimiko. In Kenya, it is short for various male names such as Kimutai and Kimani. In Vietnam, it is also a unisex name.
Sandy is a popular unisex given name or nickname. The male version can be a diminutive of Alexander, Sander, Alasdair, Sandipan, Sandeep, Sanford, Santiago, etc., while the female version can be a diminutive for Sandra or, less commonly, Alisande. Spelling variations include Sandi and Sandie.
Fred can be a given name or a surname.