family
By Rachel Bowie
•
Updated Jul 21, 2020
Maybe your name starts with the same letter. Or perhaps you want to find a way to honor your aunt Donna who played a significant role in your life. No matter the reason, you and your partner know for certain that your baby girl’s name will start with the letter D. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best options—curated based on the Social Security Administration’s list of the most popular monikers for girls, but also, our own editor favorites. Let the uncommon baby name browsing begin.
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1. Désirée
Taken from the French, this name means “desired” and “wished for.” Oh la la.
2. Diana
Royally inspired? Perhaps. It also means “divine” and has been trending upward over the past year.
3. Demi
Pronounced deh-ME, this name is making a comeback in Europe. (A nod to Demi Moore or Demi Lovato? You decide.)
4. Dena
There are a couple of spelling variations to consider (say, Deena or Dina), but this moniker means “avenged.”
5. Delaney
It means “dark challenger” and it’s also popular in Ireland.
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6. Dara
“Star.” “Leader.” “Shows compassion.” Those are just a few of the meanings behind this name. No pressure, baby.
7. Destiny
It means “fate” and “fortune,” but better yet, this name has been in the top 50 for more than two decades.
8. Danica
Pronounced DAN-ih-kah, it means “morning star.”
9. Deka
“Pleasing.”
10. Donna
In the ‘50s and ‘60s, this moniker paid homage to Donna Reed. Now, it’s associated more with Donna Karan. (It also means “lady.”)
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11. Darla
You can’t go wrong with a name that means “darling.”
12. Davi
It means “little deer” and it’s surged 104 percent in popularity in recent weeks.
13. Devi
In Sanskrit, this name is a variation on “divine.” It’s also the perfect nod to the title character in Mindy Kaling’s Netflix series Never Have I Ever.
14. Delta
This Southern-inspired moniker pays tribute to the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, but also the beauty of rivers.
15. Denisa
Of Spanish origins, those with this name tend to be introspective and expert learners.
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16. Dorrie
It’s a variation on Doris and a nod to the mythological daughter of Oceanus, the sea god.
17. Daphne
The ‘90s TV show Frasier catapulted this name to fame, but it’s soothing meaning—“laurel tree” and “bay tree”—has kept it on the charts.
18. Devon
This gender-neutral name pays homage to quaint English farmlands.
19. Danielle
“God is my judge” is the meaning of this moniker. And you can call her Dani for short.
20. Delilah
This is currently one of the most popular Hebrew names for girls. It also means “delicate.”
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21. Deborah
Short and sweet, it means “bee.” To shorten the spelling, try Debra.
22. Dominique
“Belonging to a lord.”
23. Dayna
Often spelled Dana, it means “from Denmark.”
24. Dylan
This poetic gender-neutral moniker means “son of the sea.”
25. Dawn
Up 30 percent in popularity this year, this name pays tribute to that first shot of daylight.
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26. Dolly
“Gift of God.” It might be hard to compete with that.
27. Darsha
This Hindi name means “to see, to perceive, to have vision.” There’s truly no greater life skill.
28. Daeira
“Knowing” and “informed.” Ditto the above about life skills.
29. Delfina
Love dolphins? This name pays homage to them. (It’s also French.)
30. Didi
It’s mainly used as a nickname for Di-shortened names, but this moniker totally stands on its own.
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31. Delie
This name means “indestructible,” “immortal,” and “unconquerable.” Big shoes.
32. Deirdre
Irish in origin, this name is pronounced deer-drah and means “of the sorrows.”
33. Devona
Also spelled Devonna, it means “divine.”
34. Diane
Up 14 percent this year in popularity, this name also means “divine.”
35. Dusty
“Brave warrior.”
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36. Daisy
A delightful nod to The Great Gatsby, this is also one of the original flower names.
37. Dorinda
“Bountiful gift.”
38. Desme
It means “binding oath.”
39. Dharma
This moniker evokes the idea of having good karma in life, but it actually means “truth” in Sanskrit.
40. Deanna
Another name that means “divine.”
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41. Dakota
This name has Sioux origins and means “friendly one.”
42. Delia
“Delicate.”
43. Drew
Shout-out to Drew Barrymore, this name means “strong.” It’s also one that works for boys and girls.
44. Daelyn
This modern variation on Dale means “valley.”
45. Daryl
A gender-neutral name with French origins, it means “open.”
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46. Darianna
It means “holds possessions well” and it’s been experiencing a recent popularity surge.
47. Daria
“Kingly.” (Or as we like to say, “queenly.”)
48. Darlene
This name means “darling.”
49. Demitria
Up 22 percent in popularity this year, it means “goddess of fertility.”
50. Dorothy
Old lady baby names strike again! This name is set to hit the top 500, but it also means “gift of God.”
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Rachel Bowie
Senior Director, Special Projects and Royals
- Writes and produces family, fashion, wellness, relationships, money and royals content
- Podcast co-host and published author with a book about the British Royal Family
- Studied sociology at Wheaton College and received a masters degree in journalism from Emerson College
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