Dinis

Dinis is a masculine given name used in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking communities. It is the Portuguese form of Denis/Denis, equivalent to the English Dennis. The name derives from the Latin Denisus, which in turn comes from the Greek Dionysios, a name associated with the god Dionysus.

In historical Portugal, Dinis was borne by several figures, most notably King Dinis I of Portugal (Dom Dinis), who reigned from 1279 to 1325. He strengthened the monarchy, supported agricultural development and legal reforms, and established the University of Coimbra in 1290, one of the oldest universities in Europe. The royal association contributed to the name’s continued prominence in Lusophone lands.

Today, Dinis remains common in Portugal, Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking regions, though its use varies regionally and by generation. Variants in other languages include Denis and Dennis; in Portuguese, related spellings include Diniz, which appears as both a surname and given name in some contexts.

See also Denis (name), Dennis, and Dionysius.