Distinctive, Rare D Baby Names With Spirit and Heart

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, we discuss reader’s name questions, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.

WE KNOW THE FIRST INITIAL

Jessica writes:

We are expecting our second child in February. Once again, we are not finding out sex in advance. Ideally we will have one definite name decided for a boy and a girl ahead of time.

Last time we really only had our minds made up about a girl’s name, but we had a daughter so it all worked out. Her name is Faye Tyler. We both like how simple and easy a short first name feels, and I love the mix of fairy tale and vintage that it gives.

Our daughter’s middle name is her father’s first name.

For this baby, we would like to choose a D name to honor my husband’s grandmother who went by Dee. Her full name was Mary Delma, but she disliked it so we are not considering Mary, Marie, and so on. We could have maybe went with Mae/Maye, but of course not with a sister named Faye.

We’ve been through every D name, and it feels like they’re very traditional, like Daniel and Deborah, or new, like Destiny and Denim. Maybe it’s because we have such 90s names, but we don’t want either extreme or anything too popular in general. We want a name that is short but still feels like it has lots of presence.

I don’t hate Drew for a girl, but I think it feels trendier than Faye. We are considering Dash for a boy, but I wonder if it’s too athletic/too Disney-coded.

Our last name sounds like Hall And Back, which is another reason we would like our children’s names to be shorter.

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

FINDING RARE D BABY NAMES FOR A SECOND CHILD

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your second!

I’m wondering if you’ve created two rules that restrict the potential list of names too, too much? From your description, it sounds like:

• The name has to start with the letter D.
• It should be exactly one-syllable long.
• Nothing too trendy or new.
• Ideally, like Faye’s name, it should be familiar but not popular, so ranked no higher than 100(ish?) without being too different, either.

That is a very short list indeed.

In such moments, my question is always this: do you want to check every box, or do you want to satisfy some of those requirements while still finding a name you love?

There’s no right answer. But I suspect you’ve probably exhausted the list of one-syllable, relatively rare D baby names that aren’t too different or new. It might be worth considering some options that expand your list slightly.

Either that will lead you to the right name, or it will reinforce the value of a name you’ve already considered.

Let’s look at some fresh alternatives, starting with boys.

D BABY NAMES FOR BOYS

Drawing from this very long list, let’s see what might sound just right as a brother for Faye.

DANE

Faye and Dane look rather similar and share the same vowel sound, but I think they work well together. Dane falls somewhere between a super old school Norse name, like legendary Danish king Hálfdan. Or it’s a glow up for standard Dan.

DARROW

A surname name that fits in nicely with Theo and Arlo and so many surname names for our children.

DASHIELL

Visually, Dashiell is quite long. But it’s pronounced with two syllables, just Dash plus EL. If you feel like Dash might be a little too fastest-boy-on-Earth, Dashiell makes it old school, literary, and quite sophisticated. While it’s historically a bit questionable, HBO’s The Gilded Age gave the name to thoroughly likable character in an earlier season – so it’s not all Incredibles.

DEAN

I feel like you must have considered Dean. It’s almost textbook perfect. Like Faye, Dean is a an antique with old school roots that has risen gently in use in recent years. While it feels more popular than many names on this list, it remains outside of the current US Top 100.

DEXTER

A little bit polished, a little bit offbeat, Dexter is a surname name that feels so much like a brother for Faye. Shorten it to Dex if you like, or use the name in full.

DRAKE

I’m not sure if Drake hits the right style note, but you mentioned the fairy tale appeal of Faye. Drake, of course, means dragon.

D BABY NAMES FOR GIRLS

Again, let’s start with this very long list to see if there are some overlooked D baby names for a daughter.

DELIA

It’s only two syllables – or possibly three – but there’s a lot of sound and style to this name.

DELLA

If Delia reads a little mysterious, Della feels far more straightforward. Much like expected than Ella, Stella, or Bella, this late 19th century favorite is quietly climbing in use. As of 2025, Faye and Della are quite close in terms of popularity data.

DOVE

Like Drake, Dove is more of a modern choice. And yet, it’s also a nod to the natural world and to an animal with so much meaning attached. Faye and Dove do sound quite compatible, but also nicely distinct.

EDEN

Okay, verging into the well-could-this-work category … what if the name just has a very strong D sound? Because Eden feels like a sister for Faye.

EDIE

Or maybe the name includes the DEE sound entirely? Edie reads vintage, uncommon, and very heavy on the letter D. But it’s also brief and complete and perfect with Faye.

MARA

You’ve ruled out Mary and Maria, but would you consider Mara? It’s a form of Mary, yes, known across much of the Western world. But it’s quite close to Faye in terms of current popularity, and like Faye, it feels both fresh and rooted in the past. One more bonus: contract Mary and Delma and you’ll arrive at MARy delmA, so it’s a really creative take on the family name … maybe.

Overall, I have a hard time considering anything other than Dean for a son. But if I had to put a name second, I’d go with Dashiell. Visually long, yes, but short in sound. And it gives you Dash for every day use while keeping the longer name as an insurance policy.

For girls, Della is an easy yes for me. Vintage and from the right era, but with a feeling that it’s a trending name now, too. If not Della, I’d suggest Edie – even though it breaks your rules.

Readers, over to you! Can you suggest some rare D baby names for Faye’s new sister or brother? Bonus points if they’re short.