Denton is an English masculine given name derived from a surname, which in turn originated from a place name meaning "valley town" in Old English. The name's etymology traces back to Old English elements: denu meaning "valley" or "den", combined with tūn meaning "enclosure", "settlement", or town. Thus, the original sense was a settlement situated in a valley, a feature reflected in many English place names named Denton. There are several places called Denton in England, including hamlets, villages, and civil parishes in counties such as Cambridgeshire, County Durham, and East Sussex. These place names were adopted as surnames by people who lived near or came from these locations. The surname Denton eventually came to be used as a given name, a common practice in English-speaking cultures. The name may be related to or confused with Dunton, another Old English place name meaning “town on a hill.” However, Denton is specifically tied to valley settlements. Notable Bearers Denton True Young (1865–1886), born Denton Young, better known as Cy Young, legendary baseball pitcher. He changed his given name after using the nickname “Cy” (short for “Cyclone”) to reflect his fastball. Further Reading The name is occasionally used in literature as a surname, e.g., by British author Jill Paton Walsh in her children's novel Fireweed (1969) features a character named Denton. Meaning: Valley town (from Old English denu 'valley' + tūn 'town') Origin: English (surname transformed into a given name) Type: Masculine first name / surname Usage regions: Primarily English-speaking countries