Baby Name of the Day: Delphine

The baby name Delphine blends French roots with connections to the ancient and natural worlds. Better still, it’s easily spelled and pronounced, but seldom heard.

Thanks to Claire for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day, from this list of rare 1895 Baby Names.

WHAT DOES THE NAME DELPHINE MEAN?

The Oracle at Delphi served as Apollo’s temple in ancient times.

And Delphi? The Greeks considered it the very center of the world.

So what did the place name mean? 

It probably came from the word delphis or delphys, meaning womb. 

Legend gives us a different story. Apollo slayed a drakaina – a female dragon of sorts – called Delphyne. The temple took its name from the monster.

Scylla in The Odyssey might be the most famous drakaina, but they’re lurking in Greek myth, waiting for a chance to wreak havoc. 

Chances are good that the first explanation is correct, and the story of Delphyne came second.

So Delphi means womb, or more generally refers to a sacred and significant place from antiquity.

But wait – there’s more!

DOLPHIN

Delphine picks up a cool, coastal quality. 

In English, delphine is to dolphins as feline is to cats or bovine is to cows.

That’s because the aquatic mammal’s name also comes from delphis. In this case, the word womb might reflect the way dolphins give birth to live young.

Adding to the ocean vibes, there’s a story about the sea god Poseidon. His servant, Delphinus, played matchmaker between the god and a beautiful sea nymph. In thanks, Poseidon placed a constellation of a dolphin in the night sky. 

DAUPHIN

During the 12th century, Guy IV, Count of Albon in Viennois, had dolphins on his coat of arms. They might’ve symbolized intelligence, a link to the sea, protection, or even charity. Because of this, the land they held became known as the Dauphiny, and the count preferred the title Dauphin.

Fast-forward to the 1300s, and the very last count found himself deeply in debt, without an heir. He brokered a deal to cede his lands to the King of France. As a condition of the sale, the new heir to throne had to take the title le Dauphin. 

The heir’s wife would be known as la Dauphine. 

DELPHINIUM

Also known as larkspur, the blue and violet flowers resemble the shape of a dolphin. And so there’s yet another nature-name tie-in. 

FAMOUS FIGURES

Or make that infamous, because the most famous Delphine was a serial killer.

In 1834, a New Orleans mansion caught fire. Rescuers responded, only to discover enslaved persons living in exceptionally horrific conditions – even by the standards of the day. The lady of the house, Delphine LaLaurie, had been suspected of brutality for some time. She fled New Orleans ahead of an angry mob and now features in ghost stories. American Horror Story: Coven built on that evil legacy. 

On the plus side, there’s:

• Blessed Delphina of Glandeves. A wealthy heiress in 1300s France, Delphina chose to serve the poor and has been venerated for her good works ever since. 
• Published in 1802, Germaine de Staël’s novel Delphine explored the limits of women’s freedom.
• In the late 19th century, Paris-born Delphine Ugalde became a noted opera singer.
• Polish countess Delfina Potocka was a close friend and confidante to the composer Frederic Chopin and other Polish expats in the 19th century. 
• Honoré de Balzac used the name for a character in Père Goriot, which inspired two film adaptations in the 1920s.
• Delphine Anderson Squires advocated for women’s suffrage in 20th century Nevada. 
• Delfina Entrecanales, a philanthropist and patron of the arts. Born in Spain, she spent much of her adult life in England, where she established the Delfina Foundation to continue supporting artists through her estate. 
• Delphine Biscaye is a pioneering mechanical engineer who works in professional motorsports. 
• Princess Delphine of Belgium is the illegitimate daughter of the former king. 
• Television series Orphan Black gave the name to a character. So did Anne With an E and Peppa Pig. 
• Terry Pratchett’s Discworld and Rita Williams-Garcia’s One Crazy Summer have both used the name for characters.
• In Harry Potter sequel The Cursed Child, a main character is named Delphini – though she’s the villain of the piece. 

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME DELPHINE?

In France, the baby name Delphine remains reasonably familiar. The name reached peaked popularity in the late 1970s. The saint from Provence, combined with a long history of use, makes this a quintessentially French name. 

In the US, too, the name appeared in the US Top 1000 most years from 1880 through 1962. 

But it was never terribly common, and in the 21st century, it’s downright obscure:

• Just 42 girls were named Delphine in 2025.
• Another 25 answer to Delfina, the Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese form. 
• Ten were named Delphia, a name more popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Delphina was given to seven girls in 2025, though the name has never appeared in the US Top 1000.

On the masculine side, seven boys were named Delfino.

In English, this name has slowly gone from familiar-but-rare to all-but-unknown.

RICH AND RARE

If you’re drawn to French classics like Genevieve, Charlotte, and Josephine but want something less common, Delphine might be the perfect name for your family. It’s elegant and nickname-resistant. Between cozy Sophie and elaborate Ludivine, Delphine hits the sweet spot: easy to wear, with plenty of style and presence. 

One hesitation: this might not be the right name for a Louisiana family. 

But for most of the US, Delphine is a delightful rarity, a name with ties to the garden and the sea. It’s an ancient name with modern potential. 

What do you think of the baby name Delphine?

First published on May 17, 2016, this post was revised on August 6, 2026.