Denis
/D-EH-N-IH-S/
Follower of Dionysus — the Russian form of Dennis, from Greek Dionysios. Borne by the poet-hussar Denis Davydov, who pioneered partisan-warfare tactics during the campaign against Napoleon and became the model for a cavalry officer in Tolstoy's War and Peace. A name joining ancient Greek revelry to the dash of Russian military romance.
See Denis scored for your familyMeaning & origin
Denis is a boy's name of Russian origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "Follower of Dionysus — the Russian form of Dennis, from Greek Dionysios. Borne by the poet-hussar Denis Davydov, who pioneered partisan-warfare tactics during the campaign against Napoleon and became the model for a cavalry officer in Tolstoy's War and Peace. A name joining ancient Greek revelry to the dash of Russian military romance." and belongs to the Joy cluster — names that celebrate happiness and lightness of spirit.
Common among Russian, Ukrainian families, Denis carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
Numerology of Denis
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Denis resonates in either tradition.
How Denis sounds
NameRoot scores the phonetic fit of every name against the sound of your last name. The pronunciation of Denis breaks down into 5 phonemes: /D-EH-N-IH-S/. In the app, you'll see how those sounds flow with your family name across rhythm, stress, and consonant clusters.
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Denis — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
The six signals, applied to Denis
NameRoot scores every name across six independent dimensions. Here's how Denis maps to each — install the app to see the full compatibility score for your specific family.
Names similar to Denis
If Denis resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian boy names, common in Russian families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian boy names from the Joy cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian boy names that open with the same syllables as Denis
Common questions about Denis
What does the name Denis mean?
Denis means "Follower of Dionysus — the Russian form of Dennis, from Greek Dionysios. Borne by the poet-hussar Denis Davydov, who pioneered partisan-warfare tactics during the campaign against Napoleon and became the model for a cavalry officer in Tolstoy's War and Peace. A name joining ancient Greek revelry to the dash of Russian military romance.." It is a boy name of Russian origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Denis a boy or girl name?
Denis is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Denis?
Denis is of Russian origin, used in Christian tradition, commonly among Russian, Ukrainian families.
What are common nicknames for Denis?
Common short forms of Denis include Den.
What is the numerology of Denis?
Denis has a Pythagorean destiny number of 6 — nurturing and family devotion.
See how Denis scores for your family
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