Girl Names Starting with D: Daisy, Delia, Dream

Girl names starting with D include a little bit of everything.

From favorites like Daisy to neglected vintage gems like Dorothy, plenty of these feel instantly familiar.

But rare choices abound, too. There’s Doveva and Drusilla, to name just two, plus a nature name that seems ready to soar in the coming years: Dove.

As of 2019, D was the fifteenth most popular letter for girl names. That’s solidly in the middle of the alphabet.

Among the most popular D girl names of all time? Deborah. Along with slimmed-down spelling Debra, they were Top Ten favorites from the 1950s into the 60s. But Debbie is all grown up, and Deb is more likely to be the grandparent than the newborn these days.

MOST POPULAR D NAMES FOR GIRLS

DELILAH (#88)

A hit 2005 song from The Plain White Ts pushed this Biblical name up the popularity charts in recent years. (And yes, it’s inspired by a real-life Delilah.) It helps that it includes the stylish Ls shared by Lily, Layla, and Lila, too.

DAISY (#164)

Cheerful Daisy feels as traditional as Rose, but with a more casual vibe. Sometimes associated with Margaret, Daisy most often stands on its own. From The Great Gatsby to Daisy Miller, the name surfaces in literature over the last 150 years or so. Daisy Duck, Daisy Duke, and Daisy Ridley take the name in all sorts of different directions.

DIANA (#212)

The name of a beloved princess, as well as one of the world’s best known superheroes, it’s easy to forget that Diana is, originally, a goddess. In Roman myth, she’s the equivalent of Artemis, a moon goddess and huntress. The name feels classic

DANIELA (#217)

The French Danielle was a chart-topper back in the 1980s. But now it’s Daniela – the Spanish, Italian, and German version of the name – that ranks highest in the US.

DAKOTA (#257)

North and South Dakota were both named for the Native American tribe. Tens of thousands of children have shared the name, too, both male and female. For every Dak Prescott, there’s a Dakota Johnson.

DELANEY (#285)

A surname name in the key of former favorites like Kimberly and Ashley, Delaney ranks among the most popular D names for girls. And yet, it’s never really caught on. Call it a sweet spot surname name – instantly familiar, but not too often-heard.

DESTINY (#309)

A word name with a rich meaning, Destiny peaked around the turn of the twenty-first century. Today, you’re more likely to meet a newborn Serenity.

DAHLIA (#372)

Gorgeous, antique Dahlia is a flower power name from another time. But it still wears well in our age of Lily and Rose.

DEMI (#386)

Once a name reserved for Hollywood’s Demi Moore, it’s slowly become a mainstream possibility. Singer Demi Lovato gave it another boost.

DANIELLA (#402)

Like Daniela, it’s another feminine form of Daniel in favor today.

VINTAGE GIRL NAMES BEGINNING WITH D

DAPHNE (#432)

At home in the Mystery Machine with Scooby Doo, this mythological name feels vintage and sparky.

DARLA (unranked)

From the word darling, Darla brings to mind The Little Rascals. It’s so far out that it’s in.

DAVINA (#746)

A feminine form of David featuring that stylish letter V.

DELIA (unranked)

An ancient Greek name once associated with Artemis, Delia brings to mind a mournful Johnny Cash song called “Delia Gone,” based on a real-life tragic tale. That taint might put parents off, but the name itself is quite lovely – and blameless.

DELLA (#805)

A Bella-Stella-Ella cousin, rarer than any of those.

DELPHINE (unranked)

A lovely French rarity, Delphine is associated with flowers, as well as dolphins.

DINAH (unranked)

Sparky Dinah sounds like a midcentury favorite – and it is! But it also feels like a great choice in our age of Norah and so many stylish girl names starting with D.

DOLORES (unranked)

In Spanish, Dolores means Sorrows. That seems like strange inspiration for a child’s name, but it comes from a title for the Virgin Mary: Our Lady of Sorrows. Nicknames like Lola and Dolly keep it accessible.

DONNA (unranked)

An Italian name meaning lady, Donna may also have stood in as a feminine version of former favorite Donald. Ritchie Valens’ hit single “Donna” made the name a smash hit in the late 1950s, but that’s probably why it’s in style limbo today.

DOROTHY (#563)

In 1939, she wore ruby slippers. By 1985, she was one of The Golden Girls. But with this new generation, Dorothy feels like a vintage name ready for revival.

MODERN GIRL NAMES STARTING WITH D

DALARY (#850)

Telemundo reality series Larrymania has followed the career and personal life of Mexican-American singer Larry Hernandez for eight seasons (and counting.) That includes Larry’s wife Kenia Ontiveros and their daughter Dalary – a name clearly paying homage to dad. Prior to her 2013 birth, no one named their daughter Dalary. Since then, it’s become a (nearly) mainstream possibility.

DALEYZA (#345)

Dalary wasn’t the first name Larry and Kenia coined, either. Their first daughter, Daleyza, arrived in 2010. As the couple’s reality series gained traction, so did Daleyza’s distinctive name.

DALLAS (#594)

A place name with ties to a blockbuster prime time soap from the 1980s and recently rebooted, Dallas has become a unisex choice in the key of Phoenix.

DANNA (#505)

Is Danna another feminine form of Daniel? An update to Donna? A name in the key of Della and Hanna? Maybe it’s all of the above.

DAYANA (#583)

There’s a South American orchid called the Dayana, but the name’s popularity in Latin America suggests that it’s a Spanish (and possibly Portuguese) spin on Diana.

DENVER (#889)

If Dallas followed Phoenix, then this Colorado place name appears poised to follow them both.

DIOR (#607)

Legendary fashion designer Christian Dior puts this name on parents’ radar. But it also helps that Dior looks quite a bit like d’or – of gold.

DREAM (#527)

A word name used by Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna for their daughter in 2016, and parents took note.

DULCE (#877)

A Spanish word meaning sweet, Dulce has been a recent favorite. But it has a history of use dating back to medieval Europe.

DYLAN (#437)

A name borrowed from the boys, Dylan remains a solid favorite for our sons. But, like Ryan and Cameron, a significant minority of girls receives the name every year, too.

RARE D NAMES FOR GIRLS

DAGMAR

An Old Norse name, Dagmar is just right for parents worried that Ingrid and Astrid are too obvious.

DAMARIS

A delicate New Testament name, Damaris means calf in Greek.

DANAE

Strictly speaking, it’s Danaë – pronounced with three syllables, dah nah ee. But most Americans seem to say it more like Renee – dah NAY. In Greek myth, she’s the mother of Perseus.

DANICA

In Slavic folklore, Danica is the morning star. It’s familiar thanks to retired racer Danica Patrick and actor Danica McKellar, but remains relatively rare.

DARLING

A sometimes-surname, as in Peter Pan’s Wendy, John, and Peter Darling, it’s an affectionate word well-suited as a middle.

DEVORA

Along with Devorah, the Hebrew form of Deborah benefits from the modern ‘v’ sound.

DOMINO

A short form of the many Dominic-related names, Domino feels musical (thanks to musical legend Fats) but also brings to mind a Bond girl (in Thunderball and Never Say Never Again) and British bounty hunter Domino Harvey.

DONATELLA

A long and elaborate Italian name, designer Donatella Versace made it famous world-wide.

DOVE

A bird name that feels likely to soar in the coming years, thanks in part to a list of high profile birth announcements, as well as Disney Channel star Dove Cameron.

DOVEVA

A Hebrew name meaning whisper, with an appealing sound.

DRUSILLA

A New Testament name that may ultimately trace back to a Celtic element meaning strong, Drusilla comes with a modern built-in nickname: Dru.

DULCINEA

A name that may have been coined by Miguel Cervantes for his 1605 masterpiece Don Quixote, it’s a long, elaborate cousin to Dulce, with the same meaning – sweet.

What are your favorite D names for girls?