Dennis

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For other uses, see Dennis (disambiguation).
Dennis
Pronunciation/ˈdɛn.ɪs/
GenderMale
Language(s)English, Danish, Swedish
Name daySweden: August 7
Origin
MeaningDionysus
Region of originGreece
Other names
Alternative spellingDenis, Dennys
Variant form(s)Denise (Female)
Nickname(s)Denny
Related namesDenis

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 lover of peace—as well as the patron deity of both agriculture and the theater.

Dionysus is a god of mystery religious rites, such as those practiced in honor 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.

Denis is a very popular French name, common throughout the Francophone world, but is also a common English, Irish, German, Italian, Dutch, Croatian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Russian, Bulgarian, Brazilian, Bosnian, and Albanian name.

Dionizy is the Polish version of the name.

Deniz is the Turkish version of the name.[citation needed] The Turkish language word for "sea" is "deniz", e.g. Kara Deniz means the Black Sea.

Dionigi and Dionisio are the Italian versions of the name.

The Irish name Donnchadh may be anglicised as Denis, but has a different origin and is in fact related to the name Duncan.

Feminine versions of the name include: Denise, Denisa, Deni, Denice, Deniece, Dione, and Dionne.

Variants[]

People with the given name Dennis[]

Fictional characters[]

  • Dennis Creevey, minor character from Harry Potter
  • Dennis Finch, main character from Just Shoot Me
  • Dennis Loughran, aka Denisovich, from the 2015 animated sequel film Hotel Transylvania 2 and its two sequels Hotel Transylvania 3: Monster Vacation and Hotel Transylvania 4: Transformania]] is the young vampire/human hybrid son of vampire Mavis and human Johnathon.
  • Dennis Nedry, character from Jurassic Park
  • Dennis Reynolds, main character from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
  • Dennis, Stanley’s talking pet goldfish in the Playhouse Disney animated show Stanley
  • Dennis Tanner, character on Coronation Street from its first episode in 1960 until 2014.
  • Dennis the Hitman, is Plankton's bounty hunter and the secondary main villain from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
  • Dennis the Locomotive, minor character from Thomas and Friends
  • Dennis the Menace (UK comics) in The Beano
  • Dennis the Menace (U.S. comics), a daily syndicated newspaper comic strip whose eponymous protagonist is named Dennis Mitchell
    • Dennis the Menace (film) (released in the United Kingdom as Dennis), a 1993 live-action American family film based on the comic strip
  • Dennis, character from Far Cry 3
  • Dennis the Peasant, minor character from Monty Python and the Holy Grail
  • Dennis Duffy, a minor character from 30 Rock
  • "Phantom Dennis", Cordelia Chase's deceased roommate on Angel
  • Dennis, the title character in the 2006 film Love Belongs to Everyone (released in Belgium as Dennis van Rita), played by Matthias Schoenaerts
  • Dennis Lapman, character from Final Destination 5

People with the surname Dennis[]

See also[]

External links[]

  • Reynolds, Francis J., ed. (1921). "Denis" . Collier's New Encyclopedia. New York: P. F. Collier & Son Company.
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