Names  - Origins 

DAG: Scandanavian for "day." Relatives: Dagmar, Dagney, Dagny, Dagget, Dailey, Daily, Daley, Day, Dayton, Daymond. Namesakes: Dag Hammarskjöld, Daley Thompson, Doris Day.

DAISY: Latin for "day's eye." Potential for a comeback; consider it. Relative: Daisey. Namesakes: "Daisy Mae," Princess Daisy, "Daisy Buchanan," "Daisy Miller."

DAKIN: A variant form of "Danish." A wonderful line of plush toys; your child will probably receive one for a baby present. Relatives: Dane, Daine. Namesake: Dane Iorg.

DALE: Old English for "valley." A very nice name that has not been used much since the fifties. Relatives: Dal, Dallan, Dallen, Dallas, Dallin, Dalton. Namesakes: Dale Evans, Dale Carnegie, "Chip and Dale."

DALIA: Hebrew for "branch." Pretty. Relative: Dahlia.

DALLAS: Scottish place name. The city in Texas was named for George Dallas, U.S. vice president under James K. Polk. Namesake: "Stella Dallas."

DAMIEN: From the Greek for "tamer." A favorite among writers of horror stories. Relatives: Damian, Damon, Daimen. Namesakes: Damon Runyon, Damon and Pythias, Father Damien, Damien II.

DANA: Variation of Daniel, but also androgynous. In Greek mythology Danae was the daughter of King Acrisius of Argos and the mother of Perseus. Relatives: Danna, Danae. Namesakes: Dana Ivey, Dana Andrews, Richard Henry Dana, Dana Carvey.

DANIEL: Hebrew for "God is my judge." Deservedly popular; a name with solid biblical roots and one that goes well with almost every surname. Relatives: Dan, Danny, Danni, Daniels, Danilo, Danil, Dana, Danna. Namesakes: Daniel Boone, Danny Sullivan, Dan Rather, Jack Daniels.

DANIELLE: Feminine form of Daniel. Hovering in or near the top ten for the past few years. Relatives: Daniella, Daniele, Daniela, Danice, Dania, Danya. Namesake: Danielle Steele

DAPHNE: Greek for "laurel." According to Greek legend, she was the nymph who was changed into a laurel tree to escape the amorous attentions of Apollo. A lovely name. Relative: Daphnis. Namesakes: Daphne du Maurier, Daphnis and Chloë.

DARA: Semitic for "pearl of wisdom." Namesake: Dara Nagel

DARBY: Irish for "free man." Catchy. Darby and Joan are the achetype of the loving couple. Relative: Derby. Namesake: Kentucky Derby

DARCY: Irish for "dark." If it was good enough for Jane Austen, it's good enough for us. Relatives: D'Arcy, Darcie, Darcey, Darci. Namesakes: "Mr. Darcy," Darci Kistler.

DARIUS: Persian for "king." Interesting choice. Relatives: Daria, Darien, Darian. Namesakes: Darius Milhaud, Darine (Conn.)

DARRELL: From Old French for "beloved." Relatives: Darryl, Darryll, Daryl, Daryll, Darlin, Darlen, Darleen, Darlynn, Dare. Namesakes: Darryl Hannah, Darryl Strawberrry, Darrell Evans.

DARREN: Old English for "rocky hill." Relatives: Darrin, Darin, Dare, Dara, Darra, Darryn. Namesakes: Darren McGavin, Deron Johnson, Bobby Darin.

DARTMOUTH: An English port and an Ivy League college. Seldom used as a first name, but it certainly has a classy sound. Namesake: Dartmouth College.

DARWIN: Old English for "beloved friend." Relative: Darwyn. Namesake: Charles Darwin.

DAVID: From the Hebrew for "beloved." On everyone's favorite name list. Relatives: Davida, Davina, Davita, Dave, Davey, Davy, Davie, Davi, Davyd, Davis, Davidson, Dawes, Dawson, Dewi, Dewey, Devlin, Dabney. Namesakes: King David, David Letterman, David Bowie, Davy Johnson, Davy Jones.

DAWN: From the Scandinavian for "dawn." Peaked in the seventies, but continues to be popular. Namesakes: Dawn Steel, Dawn Adams, "Delta Dawn."

DAYTON: Old English for "bright town." Give this one a chance. Relatives: Day, Daiton. Namesakes: Doris Day, Dayton (Ohio).

DEACON: From the Greek for "messenger." Relative: Declan. Namesake: Deacon Jones.

DEAN: Old English for "valley." A popular name among U.S. secretaries of state. Relatives: Deane, Deanna, Deana, Deanne, Deena. Namesakes: Dean Acheson, Dean Rusk, Deanna Durbin, John Dean.

DEBORAH: Hebrew for "bee." A solid biblical name, but usage has fallen off somewhat. Relatives: Debra, Debrah, Debbie, Debby, Deb, Debo, Devora, Devorah. Namesakes: Deborah Kerr, Debbie Allen, Debra Winger.

DOE: A nickname for almost any "D" name that now stands on its own. Relatives: Dee Dee, Didi. Namesakes: Dee Wallace, Dee Brown, Ruby Dee.

DELIA: From the Greek place name "Delos" and a pet form of Bedelia. Very pretty. Namesake: Delia Ephron.

DELILAH: From the Hebrew for "amorous." Very melodic, but it carries a lot of baggage. Relatives: Delila, Lila, Lilah. Namesake: Samson and Delilah.

DELLA: Pet form of Adella. Relatives: Dell, Adella, Adela. Namesakes: Della Reese, Adella Rogers St. Johns.

DELMORE: Latin for "sea." Del is a nice nickname. Relatives: Delmar, Delmer. Namesake: Delmore Schwartz.

DEMELZA: Old English for "fort on a hill." A romantic Cornish name and one for "Poldark" fans. Relatives: Demie, Demi. Namesake: Demi Moore.

DEMETRIUS: Greek for "lover of the earth." Handsome; used regularly among those of Greek ancestry. Relatives: Demitiri, Dimitri, Dimitry, Dimity.

DENHOLM: Scandinavian for "home of the Danes." Relatives: Denholme, Denby, Denim. Namesakes: Denholm Elliot, Denby china.

DENISE: Feminine of Dennis. Creative spelling opoortunities abound. Relatives: Deniece, Deniese, Denice, Denyse, Denyce, Deneise, Dennice. Namesakes: Denise Williams, Denise Darcel.

DENNIS: From the Greek god Dionysus. Out of fashion, but why not try it for a girl. Relatives: Denis, Dennys, Dennison, Denniston, Denzel, Denzil, Denzell, Denit, Dennit, Dion, Denny, Tennis, Tennyson. Namesakes: Dennis Hopper, Dennis Quaid, Denzel Washington, "Dennis the Menace."

DEREK: Old German for "ruler." Never as popular here as in Britain. Relatives: Derik, Dirk, Derick, Derrick, Derrik, Derych, Derry. Namesakes: Derek Jacobi, Dirk Bogarde, Bo Derek.

DERMOT: Irish for "free of envy." Underused. Relative: Kermit

DESDEMONA: From the Greek for "misery." The wife of Othello, falsely accused of adultery and then murdered by him.

DESIREE: From the Latin for "crave" and French for "desire." Relatives: Desi, Desiderio. Namesakes: "Desiree Armfeldt," Desi Arnaz.

DESMOND: From the Latin for "society." Relatives: Desi Des. Namesake: Desmond Morris.

DEVON: English place name and Celtic for "poet." This name enjoyed a flurry of use in the seventies, but its popularity has dwindled of late. Pretty. Relative: Devin. Namesakes: Devon White, Devon cream.

DEWEY: From a Welsh variation of David. Nice nickname. Relative: Devin. Namesakes: Thomas Dewey, Dewey Decimal System, "Dewey Duck."

DEXTER: Latin for "right side" and the opposite of "sinister." Namesake: Dexter Gordon.

DIANA: Latin for "divine." The Roman moon goddess; the British princess over whom we moon. Relatives: Diane, Dyan, Dyanne, Dionne, Diahann, Di, Diandra, Diantha. Namesakes: Princess Di, Dyan Cannon, Dionne Warwick, Diana Rigg.

DICKINSON: American variation on a nickname for Richard. Relatives: Dicken, Dickens, Dickenson, Dixon, Dix. Namesakes: Emily Dickinson, Dickinson College.

DIERDRE: Irish for "young girl." Enjoying a modest revival. Relatives: Deirdre, Deirdra, Dierdra.

DIGBY: Old English for "settlement near a ditch." Lowly origins, but upper-crust credentials. Namesake: Digby Diehl

DINAH: From the Hebrew for "judgment." Fine name; give it a chance. Relatives: Dina, Deena, Deanna. Namesakes: Dinah Shore, Dina Merrill.

DIONNE: A variation of Diana. Relatives: Dion, Dione. Namesakes: Dionne Warwick, Dionne quintuplets, Dion and the Belmonts.

DIXIE: A variation of "Dixon" or "Dick's son." Apparently "Dixie-land" got its name as a mutation of "Dixon," as in the Mason-Dixon line. Relatives: Dixon, Dixi. Namesakes: Dixie Carter, Dixie cup.

DOLORES: Latin for "lady of sorrows." Out of favor. Relatives: Deloris, Dorrie, Dora.

DOMINICK: Latin for "the Lord's." A Mediterranean favorite. Relatives: Dominica, Dominique, Dominic, Dominik, Domingo, Dominy, Dom, Nick. Namesakes: Dominick Dunne, Dominique Wilkins, Dom DeLuise, Placido Domingo.

DONALD: Old English for "ruler of the world." Relatives: Donny, Don, Donnie, Donny, Donaldson, Donne, Donghal, Donal. Namesakes: Donald Trump, Donny Osmond, Don Meredith, Sam Donaldson, "Donald Duck"

DONNA: Latin for "lady." Relatives: Dona, Domina, Madonna. Namesakes: Donna Reed, Madonna, "Dona Flor."

DONNELLY: Irish for "dark man." A nice group of traditional Irish surnames that are beginning to see some use as first names. Relatives: Donahue, Donnell, Donnel, Donner, Donovan, Donovon. Namesakes: Phil Donahue, Donner Pass, Donovan's Reef.

DOOLEY: Origin unknown. Relative: Dooly. Namesakes: Dooley Womack, Paul Cooley, Tom Dooley.

DORA: Greek for "gift." A short form of Dorothy that has come to stand on its own. It is less popular now than before World War II. Relatives: Dorene, Doreene, Dorine, Dore, Dorothy.

DORIAN: Derived from the Greek place name. Guaranteed to age well. Relatives: Dorien, Dorie, Dorrien, Dorrian, Dory. Namesake: The Picture of Dorian Gray.

DORIS: Greek for "of the sea." Dory is a cute nickname. Relatives: Dorris, Dorice, Dore, Dory, Dori. Namesakes: Doris Duke, Dore Schary

DOROTHY: Greek for "gift of God." Immortalized in The Wizard of Oz; this child will always think there's no place like home. Relatives: Dorothea, Dottie, Dot, Dotson, Dolly, Dolley. Namesakes: Dorothy Dandridge, Dolly Parton, "Little Dot," Dolly Madison.

DORSET: Old English for "tribe near the sea." Relative: Dorsey. Namesake: Tommy Dorsey.

DOUGLAS: Old English for "dark water." Very handsome; should be used more often. Relatives: Douglass, Doug, Dougie, Dugan, Dougal, Dugald. Namesakes: Douglas MacArthur, Douglas Fairbanks, Michael Douglas.

DOVER: Old English for "water." Namesakes: Dover sole, White Cliffs of Dover.

DOYLE: Old English for "dark stranger." Relative: Doyl. Namesakes: Doyle Alexander, Arthur Conan Doyle, William Doyle.

DRAKE: From the Latin for "dragon" and Old German for "mail duck." Namesakes: Sir Francis Drake, "Paul Drake."

DREW: A nickname for Andrew that now stands on its own. Namesakes: Drew Barrymore, Drew Pearson, "Nancy Drew."

DUANE: Old English for "dark." Relatives: Dwayne, Dwane, Dwain, Dwaine, Duwayne. Namesakes: Duane McClain, Duane Eddy.

DUDLEY: Old English for "people's meadow." A real sink-or-swim name, since the child will invariably be called "dud." Relatives: Dud, Duddy, Dudly. Namesakes: Dudley Moore, "Dudley Do-Right," "Duddy Kravitz."

DUKE: From the Latin for "leader." Also pet name for Marmaduke. Namesakes: Duke Ellington, Duke of Earl, Duke Snyder.

DULCIE: Latin for "sweet." Don Quixote's lady love. Relatives: Dulcinea, Dulce, Dulsie. Namesake: "Dulcinea del Toboso."

DUNCAN: Old English for "dark warrior." A great name, big with Scottish kings. Relatifes: Dunc, Dun. Namesakes: Duncan Phyfe, Duncan Hines, Dunkin' Donuts.

DURAND: Latin for "enduring." Relatives: Durandt, Durante, Durant, Duran. Namesakes: Duran Duran, William Durant, Jimmy Durante.

DURWARD: Old English for "gatekeeper." Relatives: Durwood, Durwald, Durwin, Derwood. Namesake: Durwood Kirby.

DUSTIN: Old English for "dark stone." Consider it for a girl. Relatives: Dusty, Dustan, Dunston. Namesakes: Saint Dunstan, Dustin Hoffman, Dusty Baker.

DWIGHT: Old English for "fair." Namesakes: Dwight Eisenhower.

DYLAN: Welsh for "sea god." According to Welsh legend, all the waves of the English and Irish seas wept when he died. Relatives: Dillon, Dillan. Namesakes: Dylan Thomas, Bob Dylan, Matt Dillon.

~ THE BEST NAME FOR YOUR BABY: A CREATIVE GUIDE TO PROPER NAMES, by Barbara Binswanger and Lisbeth Mark. Henry Holt and Co., New York, 1990.