To me, it is strong but approachable, has a soft side, is handsome, familiar but not commonly heard.
Does it read that way to you? If not, PLEASE share without niceness filters - I’m not attached to it and won’t take offense 
promise!
It doesn’t flow well with our surname, which is M and N heavy. I like that it’s short and percussive (but not in a “poppy” kind of way, like K and T names).
Are there names you think of as similar either in form or attitude?
I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Dean[/name]! It’s on our list as well, and I definitely get the exact same “feel” from it you do. Other names that give me the same vibe are [name]Wade[/name], [name]Hugo[/name], [name]Calvin[/name], [name]Shaw[/name].
I get the same vibe, for sure. Some others that give me a similar feeling are [name]Jesse[/name] and [name]Roscoe[/name].
Well, I can see all the positive things you say for sure. But that said I don’t care for it tremendously. The long ee sound is whiney to me a bit, and it rhymes with mean. BUT I would still take it over plenty of names that are popular right now, for sure : D.
Some names with a similar vibe which I like more (in most cases).
Surnamey, long vowels
[name]Wyatt[/name]
[name]Boone[/name]
[name]Long[/name] vowels, nice guy
[name]Miles[/name]
(I might put [name]Jesse[/name] in here)
Surnamey, old manny
[name]Russell[/name]
(I might put [name]Roscoe[/name] in here)
[name]Long[/name] vowels, old manny
[name]Gene[/name]
[name]Eugene[/name]
[name]Sam[/name], [name]George[/name], [name]Matt[/name], [name]Mark[/name], [name]Ryan[/name], [name]James[/name], [name]Jack[/name], [name]Jeff[/name], [name]Jake[/name], [name]Tyler[/name], [name]Anthony[/name], [name]Leo[/name], [name]Eli[/name], [name]Henry[/name], [name]Terry[/name], [name]Rhys[/name]/[name]Reese[/name]/[name]Reece[/name], [name]Chase[/name]/[name]Chace[/name], [name]Chance[/name].
I love [name]Dean[/name], mostly because of [name]Dean[/name] Winchester, but then I realised how lovely the name really is. I have a cousin named [name]Dean[/name] as well.
[name]Grant[/name] and [name]Clarke[/name] feel the same to me!
I really like [name]Dean[/name], too. The first names that came to mind were [name]Mack[/name], [name]Rhett[/name], & [name]Dane[/name]. Perhaps [name]Abel[/name] & [name]Reid[/name]/[name]Reed[/name], as well.
I love [name]Dean[/name] as well. What about;
[name]Evan[/name]
[name]Lewis[/name]
[name]Timothy[/name]
[name]Jeremy[/name]
[name]Grant[/name]
[name]Lucas[/name]
[name]Curtis[/name]
[name]Tully[/name]
[name]Boyd[/name]
[name]Pierce[/name]/[name]Pearce[/name]
[name]Joel[/name]
[name]Gordon[/name]
[name]Gilbert[/name]
[name]Gregory[/name]
[name]Carl[/name]
[name]Paul[/name]
[name]Heath[/name]
[name]Innes[/name]
[name]Lorcan[/name]
[name]Lyle[/name]
[name]Toby[/name]
[name]Tobin[/name]
[name]Brendan[/name]
[name]Wesley[/name]
[name]Desmond[/name]
[name]Gavin[/name]
[name]Quinn[/name]
[name]Murray[/name]
[name]Ross[/name]
[name]Lincoln[/name]
[name]Nate[/name]
[name]Tate[/name]
[name]Rowan[/name]
[name]Clive[/name]
[name]Clinton[/name]
[name]Corin[/name]
[name]Jared[/name]
[name]Reid[/name]
[name]Byron[/name]
[name]Judd[/name]
[name]Dominic[/name]
[name]Drew[/name]
[name]Ash[/name]
[name]Joss[/name]
[name]Alec[/name]
[name]Eric[/name]
[name]Darcy[/name]
I like it too! Going with ‘strong but approachable, has a soft side, is handsome, familiar but not commonly heard’…
[name]Noel[/name]
[name]Clive[/name]
[name]Lawrence[/name]
[name]Bram[/name]
[name]Edmund[/name]
[name]Heath[/name]
[name]Rory[/name]
[name]Frank[/name]
[name]Russell[/name]
[name]Hale[/name]
[name]Keith[/name]
[name]Graham[/name]
[name]Dean[/name] makes me think of [name]Beau[/name], [name]Owen[/name] and [name]Neil[/name].
[name]Nolan[/name]
[name]Ray[/name]
[name]Roy[/name]
[name]Sean[/name]
[name]Clay[/name]
[name]Troy[/name]
Craig
[name]Dean[/name] is an all-around nice guy, and oozes midcentury charm. Similar feel:
[name]Wade[/name]
[name]Kent[/name]
[name]Guy[/name]
[name]Owen[/name]
[name]Neil[/name]
[name]Glenn[/name]
[name]Ford[/name]
[name]Bond[/name]
[name]Clint[/name]
[name]Lane[/name]
[name]Lorne[/name]
[name]Paul[/name]
[name]Penn[/name]
[name]Spence[/name]
[name]Ward[/name]
Yes, I like the name, it was the first name of my late brother, his middle name was [name]Paul[/name].
I also like the character on Supernatural who goes by the name [name]Dean[/name]. 
I definitely feel the same way about [name]Dean[/name]! It is going to be the name of our first son which we just cannot wait for. The only things I can think of are [name]Flynn[/name]/[name]Finn[/name] and [name]Shane[/name] but they also have that same N ending so I don’t think they will be much help.
What great suggestions!
east93 and scarlettrobin, that’s my favorite association, as well 
Names that jumped out as far as giving me a similar feel:
[name]Sam[/name] (probably again because of the Winchesters)
[name]Zane[/name]
[name]Luke[/name]
[name]Desmond[/name] (love nn [name]Des[/name])
[name]Bram[/name]
[name]Lane[/name]
[name]Paul[/name]
[name]Flynn[/name]
That was fun! Thanks all 
Could [name]Dean[/name] be a diminutive of something?
Most Deans I know in the flesh are Constantines.