`D´ Names That I Like - Girls & Boys

  1. Darren
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little great one"
    • Description:

      Darren and wife Sharon shop for fifties memorabilia on eBay. The Connecticut place-name Darien might offer an update.
  2. Dash
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Dashiell, meaning unknown
    • Description:

      Dash is a nickname that can stand on its own and sounds, well, dashing. Connected these days with Kardashian enterprises.
  3. Dasha
    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Dariya or Darya
    • Description:

      Nice, energetic -- dare we say dashing. -- quality.
  4. Dave
    • Origin:

      Short form of David, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      Dave is the ultimate good guy name, but where father name David is still holding onto a spot in the Top 20, Dave -- widely used as an independent name in the middle of the last century -- dropped off the Top 1000 a few decades ago and shows no signs of a comeback. Baby Davids today, often named for dad or grandpa, are more likely to be called David than Dave.
  5. David
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      David is an enduring worldwide classic, used from ancient times to the present day.
  6. Davies
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "son of David"
    • Description:

      This is a both fresher and cooler spin on David.
  7. Davis
    • Origin:

      Surname derived from David, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      Davis is a fresh way to say David. Some sources define it as "son of David," but we see it as a surname spin on the original. While David is an everyman name, Davis has some creative edge -- and still gets you to the classic guy nickname Dave.
  8. Dawn
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "dawn, sunrise"
    • Description:

      Dawn's heyday in the US, Canada and the UK came in the 1960s and 70s. It peaked at #14 in the US in 1971, but has since sunk from sight to be eclipsed by other names with the same meaning, such as Aurora, Roxana or Zariah.
  9. Dawson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of David"
    • Description:

      Dawson was scarcely heard as a first name before the debut of Dawson's Creek in 1998, at which point it leaped up more than 550 places in one year. The character Dawson Leery, played by James Van Der Beek, was a teen favorite until the show's demise in 2003.
  10. Deacon
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "messenger, servant"
    • Description:

      This name was transposed from the word for a church officer to a baby name when Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe chose it for their son, after a baseball player ancestor, and Don Johnson followed suit. Its popularity also got a boost from Nashville character Deacon Claybourne -- only to fall a bit in recent years.
  11. Dean
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "church official"
    • Description:

      Dean may sound to some like a retro surfer boy name, but it is once again climbing up the popularity chart in the USA. For decades it was associated with Dean (born Dino) Martin; more recent representatives include Dean Cain, Dean McDermott and Dean Koontz -- not to mention Jared Padalecki's dreamy Dean Forester in Gilmore Girls.
  12. Debbie
    • Origin:

      Short form of Deborah or Debra
    • Meaning:

      "bee"
    • Description:

      The quintessential friendly fifties name, nearly epidemic in its day. Now many grownup Debbies have reverted to the full and lovely form of their name, which modern parents often avoid because of the name Debbie ringing too loudly in their ears.
  13. Debby
    • Deborah
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "bee"
      • Description:

        Deborah has suffered from the fact that in the mid-twentieth century there were so many Debbies on the block that the beauty and meaning of the original name got lost. Deborah may no longer be among the most popular girl names starting with D, but now this lovely name of an Old Testament prophetess suddenly sounds fresher than overused Sarah, Rachel, and Rebecca.
    • Debra
      • Origin:

        Spelling variation of Deborah
      • Meaning:

        "bee"
      • Description:

        When Deborah seemed too formal in the laid-back sixties, Debra stepped in as a pared-down alternative, but the pendulum is about to swing back.
    • Declan
      • Origin:

        Irish, meaning unknown, possible "man of prayer"
      • Meaning:

        "man of prayer"
      • Description:

        Declan is the Anglicized form of the Irish name Deaglán. St. Declan was one of the first missionaries to bring Christianity to Ireland, preceding St. Patrick. Originally from Wales, he founded the monastery of Ardmore in Ireland.
    • Deirdre
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "sorrowful"
      • Description:

        Sadly, this strong Celtic name often has "of the sorrows" attached to it because of the tragic character in Irish legend. Also a bit drab when compared with newer Irish imports.
    • Delaney
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "dark challenger; dark river"
      • Description:

        Delaney has been a popular surname-style choice since 90s, when it joined other Irish surnames such as Cassidy, Kennedy, and Mallory on the US Charts. Buoyant, bright, and cheerful, it ranks in the US Top 250 and is given to nearly 1300 babies every year.
    • Delilah
      • Origin:

        Hebrew or Arabic
      • Meaning:

        "delicate"
      • Description:

        Melodic and lively, Delilah has cut itself (mostly) free from its treacherous past to become a contemporary favorite.
    • Demetri