deNi

Deni is a given name used in several cultures, primarily masculine but occasionally as a feminine form or nickname. It is found in various Balkan communities and among diaspora populations in Europe and the Americas. In some cases, Deni also appears as a surname, though this is less common.

The name Deni is typically considered a variant or diminutive of Denis or Denis, which themselves derive from the Greek name Dionysios. The meaning is often associated with Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, and the form Deni has developed in different languages and regions as a shorter or localized version of the original name.

Usage and cultural context vary by region. In Albanian and other Balkan contexts, Deni is used as a standalone masculine given name. It can also occur as a familiar form of Denis/Denis in Slavic-speaking communities. Because naming practices differ across languages, Deni may be found in more than one cultural setting and may be adapted to local orthography and pronunciation.

Notable people named Deni include Deni Avdija, an Israeli professional basketball player for the NBA's Washington Wizards, and Deni Hines, an Australian singer. The name also appears in literature and media as a personal name in various transliterations.

See also Denis and Dennis, common international forms of the same root name, and related variants such as Denisa and Deniz in regions where those spellings are prevalent. The name Deni thus represents a regional variant of a widely distributed given name with roots in ancient Greek and Christian naming traditions.