Rebecca is the most popular R girl name in the U.S. over the last 100 years.
Boy names that start with D aren’t as popular as they once were.
Spearheaded by names like David, Daniel and Dylan, the letter “d” was a top-5 first initial for boys in the US every year between 1929 and 2013 — and even peaked at No. 2 in 1992, per Behind the Name.
But D boy names haven’t been the same ever since.
In fact, the letter “d” hasn’t been a top-5 first initial for boy names since 2013 and has been on the verge of falling out of the top-10 since 2019 — most recently ranking 8th in 2023, per Behind the Name.
So, yeah. Boy names starting with D could use a little love these days — and recent data backs that up.
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), only six boy names that start with D ranked inside the top-100 most popular boy names over the past 100 years.
Those names include David (5th), Daniel (12th), Donald (16th), Dennis (49th), Douglas (58th) and Dylan (73rd).
But fast forward to 2023, the most recent data released by the SSA, and only three of those names — Daniel (17th), David (27th) and Dylan (34th) — are still in the top-100.
While Dylan has certainly upped its game in recent years, many parents today don’t seem interested in traditional D names for boys. And others might be struggling to find some quality modern options.
If you need some help, here are some of our favorite boy names that start with D!
Dominic
Origin: Late Latin
Meaning: Of the Lord; Belonging to God
Dominic, pronounced DAH-muh-nik, comes from the Late Latin name Dominicus, which means “of the Lord” or “belonging to God.” It was traditionally given to children born on Sunday, though some parents today spell it Dominick.
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Domingo
Origin: Late Latin; Spanish
Meaning: Of the Lord; Belonging to God
Domingo, pronounced doh-MING-goh, is the Spanish form of Dominic derived from the Late Latin name Dominicus, meaning “of the Lord” or “belonging to God.” The Portuguese form is spelled Domingos.
Damian
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Tamed; Domesticated
Damian, DAY-mee-in, comes from the Greek name Damianos, which is derived from the Greek word damazo, meaning “to tame.” Saint Damian, along with his brother Cosmas, are the patron saints of physicians. Some parents spell it Damien.
Declan
Origin: Old Irish
Meaning: Full of good; Man of prayer
Declan, pronounced DEK-lyn, is the Anglicized form of the Old Irish name Declán and modern Irish name Deaglán, which is believed to mean “full of good” or “man of prayer.” Saint Declan is the patron saint of the Déisi.
Diego
Origin: Spanish; Latin; Hebrew
Meaning: Supplanter; Teacher
Diego, pronounced dee-AY-go, is a diminutive of Santiago, which is composed of the Spanish element santo, meaning “saint,” and Yago, the Spanish form of James. Saint James is the patron saint of Spain. Diego was Latinized as Didacus, which could derive from the Greek word didache, meaning “teaching.”
Dawson
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Beloved
Dawson, pronounced DAW-sun, is an English surname-turned-given-name that literally means "son of David" or "son of Daw" (a medieval nickname for David). David is a Hebrew name that means “beloved.”
Dean
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Valley; Leader
Dean, pronounced DEEN, comes from the Old English word denu, meaning "valley," but it can also come directly from the English word dean, referring to the head of a college, university, cathedral or church.
Dallas
Origin: Scottish Gaelic; Old English
Meaning: Meadow dwelling; House in the valley
Dallas, pronounced DAL-lis, is believed to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic elements dail, meaning “meadow,” and fas, meaning “dwelling,” or the British elements dol and gwas, of the same meaning. It can also derive from the Old English elements dæl, meaning “valley,” and hus, meaning “house.”
Derek
Origin: Germanic; Gothic; English
Meaning: Ruler of the people
Derek, pronounced DAIR-ik, is an English diminutive of the German name Theodoric, which comes from the Gothic name Þiudareiks composed of the elements þiuda, meaning “people,” and reiks, meaning “ruler.”
Derrick
Origin: Germanic; Gothic; English
Meaning: Ruler of the people
Derrick, pronounced DAIR-ik, is a variant of Derek, which comes from the Germanic name Theodoric and Gothic name Þiudareiks, composed of the elements þiuda, meaning “people,” and reiks, meaning “ruler.”
Dante
Origin: Italian; Latin
Meaning: Enduring; Lasting
Dante, pronounced DAHN-tay, is an Italian name that originated as a shortened form of Durante, which comes from the Latin name Durans and Late Latin root durans, meaning “enduring” or “lasting.”
Dakota
Origin: Native American; Sioux
Meaning: Friend; Ally
Dakota, pronounced duh-KOH-tuh, comes from the name of the Native American people of the northern Mississippi Valley, South Dakota or North Dakota. It means “friend” or “ally” in the Dakota language.
Daxton
Origin: American; French; German
Meaning: Badger; Spa town in France
Daxton, pronounced DAKS-tun, is a modern American invented name that likely combines elements of Dax with the ending of names like Saxon or Braxton. Dax is the name of a spa destination in France. Other theories suggest it’s a variant of the German word dachs or dahs, meaning “badger.”
Dariel
Origin: French; Hebrew
Meaning: Huckleberry; God’s pearl
Dariel, pronounced dar-ee-EL, is likely a variant of the name Darrell, which comes from the Norman French phrase d'Airelle, meaning “from Airelle.” Airelle was a place name that translates to “huckleberry.” It can also be a combination of the Hebrew elements dar, meaning “pearl,” and el, meaning “God.”
Desmond
Origin: Irish; English
Meaning: South Munster; From Desmond
Desmond, pronounced DEZ-mund, comes from the Irish name Deasmhumhain, meaning “south Munster” and referring to the region of Desmond in southern Ireland. It was originally a surname for those from this region.
Damon
Origin: Greek; Irish
Meaning: Tamed; Loyal; Calf; Fawn
Damon, pronounced DAY-mun, derives from the Greek word damazo, meaning “to tame.” In Greek mythology, Damon was known for his loyal friendship with Pythias. The name can also come from the Old Irish name Damán, meaning “calf” or “fawn.”
Devin
Origin: French; Latin; English
Meaning: Divine; Fortune teller
Devin, pronounced DEV-in, is derived from the Old French word devin, meaning “divine,” or Latin word divinus, meaning “fortune teller.” It can also be related to the place name Devon in England and some parents like to spell it Devyn.
Donovan
Origin: Old Irish
Meaning: Dark brown
Donovan, pronounced DON-uh-van, derives from the Irish surname Ó Donndubháin and given name Donndubán, which is composed of the Old Irish elements donn, meaning “brown,” and dub, meaning “dark.”
Denver
Origin: English
Meaning: Dane’s ford; Colorado’s capital
Denver, pronounced DEN-ver, originated as an English surname derived from a place name meaning “Dane’s ford,” referring to a crossing place used by Danes. It’s also the capital city of Colorado, USA.
Dalton
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Valley town
Dalton, pronounced DAWL-tun, comes from an Old English place name and surname combining the Old English elements dæl, meaning “valley,” and tūn, meaning “town.” Therefore, it means “town in a valley.”
Deacon
Origin: Greek; English
Meaning: Christian clergy; Servant
Deacon, pronounced DEE-kun, derives from the Greek word diakonos, meaning “servant.” In English, the word deacon refers to someone who reads the Gospel in divine worship or a cleric in the Christian church.
Drew
Origin: Greek; English
Meaning: Manly; Masculine; Follower
Drew, pronounced DROO, originated as a nickname for Andrew, which comes from the Greek name Andreas and is derived from the Greek word andreios, meaning “manly” or “masculine.” In the New Testament, Andrew is the first disciple to join Jesus.
Dax
Origin: French; German; English
Meaning: Spa town; Badger
Dax, pronounced DAKS, is derived from the name of a popular spa destination in southwestern France, but it can also be a variant of Dachs, which comes from the German word dachs or dahs, meaning “badger.” Other theories suggest that it’s an invented name inspired by similar names like Max and Jax.
Dorian
Origin: Greek; Literary
Meaning: From Doris
Dorian, pronounced DOR-ee-an, derives from the ancient Greek ethnic name for inhabitants of Doris, a region in Greece. The name gained literary fame through Oscar Wilde's novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray."
Davis
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Son of David; Beloved; Uncle
Davis, pronounced DAY-vis, originated as a patronymic surname meaning "son of David,” where the name David comes from the Hebrew name Dawiḏ and Hebrew word dod, meaning “beloved” or “uncle.”
Dennis
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Follower of Dionysus
Dennis, pronounced DEN-is, derives from the Greek name Dionysios, which is composed of the Greek names Dios, meaning “Zeus,” and Nyas, meaning “tree.” In Greek mythology, Dionysos was the son of Zeus and god of wine, revelry, fertility and dance. Saint Denis was the first bishop of Paris, France.
Douglas
Origin: Gaelic; Scottish
Meaning: Dark water; Dark river
Douglas, pronounced DUG-lis, derives from a Scottish place name composed of the Gaelic elements dubh, meaning “dark,” and glais, meaning “water” or “river.” The Gaelic form is Dùghlas or Dùbhghlas.
Dylan
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Born of the sea; Son of the sea
Dylan, pronounced DIL-an, comes from Welsh mythology where Dylan was a sea god. The name derives from Welsh elements dy, meaning “to” or “toward,” and llanw, meaning “tide” or “flow.” It can also be spelled Dilan or Dillon.
Donald
Origin: Gaelic; Old Irish
Meaning: World ruler; Ruler of the world
Donald, pronounced DON-ald, derives from the Gaelic name Domhnall, which is composed of the Old Irish elements domun, meaning “world,” and fal, meaning “rule.” It was the name of several early Scottish kings.
Dario
Origin: Italian; Spanish; Old Persian; Greek
Meaning: Possessing good
Dario, pronounced DAH-ree-oh, is the Italian and Spanish form of Darius, which comes from the Greek name Dareios and Old Persian name Darayauš. It’s composed of the Persian elements daraya, meaning “to possess,” and vau, meaning “good.”
Drake
Origin: Old Norse; Old English; Latin; Greek
Meaning: Dragon; Serpent
Drake, pronounced DRAYK, comes from the Old Norse byname Draki and Old English byname Draca, both of which are derived from the Greek word drakon (via Latin), meaning “dragon” or “serpent.”
Duke
Origin: English; Latin
Meaning: Leader; Commander
Duke, pronounced DOOK, comes directly from the English noble title, which derives from the Latin word dux, meaning "leader" or "commander." In the United Kingdom, Duke is a hereditary title handed down by the royal family.
Dustin
Origin: Old Norse; English
Meaning: Thor’s stone; Thunderous stone
Dustin, pronounced DUS-tin, is a modern form of the Old Norse name Þórsteinn (Torsten), which combines the name Thor, referring to the Old Norse god of thunder, and steinn, meaning “stone.”
Dexter
Origin: Latin; Old English
Meaning: Skilled; Right-handed; One who dyes clothes
Dexter, pronounced DEK-ster, comes directly from the Latin word dexter, meaning “right-handed” or “skilled.” It was also an English occupational surname given to someone who dyes clothes or fabric.
Dutton
Origin: English
Meaning: Town on a hill
Dutton, pronounced DUT-un, originated as an English surname derived from place names combining the Old English elements dun, meaning “hill,” and tun, meaning “town” or “settlement.” There’s a Dutton in Cheshire and Lancashire.
Darius
Origin: Old Persian; Greek; English
Meaning: Possessing good
Darius, pronounced DAIR-ee-us or duh-RYE-us, which comes from the Greek name Dareios and Persian name Darayauš, and is composed of the Persian elements daraya, meaning “to possess,” and vau, meaning “good.”
Dakari
Origin: Shona
Meaning: Joy; Happiness; Rejoice
Dakari, pronounced dah-KAR-ee, is a variant of Dakarai, which is believed to be derived from a Shona word meaning "happiness,” "joy” or “rejoice.” Shona is one of the 16 official languages of Zimbabwe.
Demetrius
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Earth mother; Agricultural god; Follower of Demeter
Demetrius, pronounced duh-MEE-tree-us, comes from the ancient Greek name Demetrios, which was derived from the name Demeter, referring to the Greek goddess of agriculture. Demeter literally translates to “Earth mother” in Greek.
Dane
Origin: English
Meaning: From Denmark; Valley; Leader
Dane, pronounced DAYN, originally referred to a person from Denmark. Other theories suggest it’s a variation of Dean, meaning “valley” in Old English or referring to the head of a college or university.
Dashiel
Origin: French
Meaning: Of the sky; From the heavens
Dashiel, pronounced DUH-sheel, is a variation of Dashiell, which may have originated as an anglicized form of the French surname "de Chiel,” meaning “of the sky” or “from the heavens” (via French ciel, meaning “sky”).
Dash
Origin: English
Meaning: Run quickly; Fast
Dash, pronounced DASH, is a diminutive or nickname of the given name Dashiel, like the character from “The Incredibles.” It can also be inspired by the English word dash, meaning to “run quickly,” referring to the character’s superpower.
Duncan
Origin: Old Irish; Gaelic
Meaning: Dark warrior; Brown fighter
Duncan, pronounced DUN-kun, comes from the Gaelic name Donnchadh, which is composed of the Old Irish elements donn, meaning “brown,” and cath, meaning “battle.” It was the name of two Scottish kings.
Deandre
Origin: Greek; English
Meaning: Manly; Masculine
Deandre, pronounced dee-AHN-dray, is a modern combination name that blends the prefix de with the name Andre, which comes from the Greek name Andreas and Greek word andreios, meaning “manly.”
Damari
Origin: Arabic; English
Meaning: Long-lived; Thriving
Damari, pronounced dah-MAR-ee, is a modern combination name that blends the prefix de with the name Amari, which is derived from the Arabic root amara, meaning “to live long” or “to thrive.”
Dwayne
Origin: Old Irish; English
Meaning: Little dark one
Dwayne, pronounced DWAYN, is an anglicized form of the Irish name Dubhán, which comes from the Old Irish word dub, meaning “dark” or “black.” Some parents prefer to spell it Dwyane, while others go with Duane.
Denzel
Origin: Cornish
Meaning: From the high stronghold
Denzel, pronounced DEN-zel, is a variant of Denzil, which was an old Cornish surname given to someone from the manor of Denzell in Cornwall. Some theories suggest that it means “from the high stronghold.”
Davante
Origin: Invented
Meaning: Beloved
Davante, pronounced duh-VON-tay, is likely an invented name that combines the phonetic elements da, von and tay. Other theories suggest that it’s an elaboration of David, which means “beloved” in Hebrew.
Dirk
Origin: Dutch; Germanic
Meaning: Ruler of the people
Dirk, pronounced DERK, is a short form of Diederik, the Dutch variant of the Germanic name Theodoric, which is composed of the elements þiuda, meaning “people,” and reiks, meaning “ruler.”
Dempsey
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Proud
Dempsey, pronounced DEMP-see, comes from the Irish surname Ó Díomasaigh derived from the given name Díomasach, which means “proud” in Irish. It was popularized in the U.S. by actor Patrick Dempsey.
Desiderio
Origin: Italian; Spanish; Latin
Meaning: Desire; Longing
Desiderio, pronounced deh-see-DEH-ree-oh, is the Italian and Spanish form of Desiderius, which comes from the Latin word desiderium, meaning “desire” or “longing,” and desiderare, meaning “to desire.”
Desi
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Desire; Longing
Desi, pronounced DES-ee, is a shortened form or nickname of Desiderio, which derives from the Latin word desiderium, meaning “desire” or “longing.” It can also be a nickname for other names that start with Des, such as Desmond.
Not Interested In Boy Names That Start With D?
As you can see, there are plenty of boy names that start with D beyond the traditional David and Dylan.
But remember, the alphabet is filled with 25 other letters just waiting to be explored, each offering their own treasure trove of beautiful, unique names that could be perfect for your little one.
From A names like Axel and Atlas to Z names like Zeke and Zion, don’t sell yourself short!
And if you're ever feeling overwhelmed by the endless sea of possibilities, you can always turn to Mod Moms Club as your trusted baby-naming companion throughout this journey.
ALSO ON MOD MOMS CLUB: 65+ Unique Names That Start With M for a Boy
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