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$Title{Names for Boys:  D}
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Editors of Consumer Guide
Harder, Kelsey}
$Subject{Names Boys D}
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The Ultimate Baby Name Book


Names for Boys:  D


D'Arcy, D'arcy (see Darcy)

Dabid (see David)

Dabney (see David)

Dain (see Dana)

Dako (see David)

Dal (see Dale)

Dale               Old Norse dahl, "valley, hollow"; also, Old English dael;
                   also, a variation of Dell.  This name started out as a
                   place name.  Like "hill," "crag," "ford," and "moor," it
                   became a surname and then a given name.  In the United
                   States, both boys and girls are named Dale.
    Famous names:  Dale Berra (baseball player)
                   Dale Carnegie (author)
       Nicknames:  Dal, Daley, Del
      Variations:  Dali (Spanish), Dallas, Dillon, Dolan (English)

Daley (see Dale)

Dali (see Dale)

Dallas             Probably Old English "valley"; also, possibly Gaelic
                   "skilled"; also, a variation of Dale.  This name is
                   currently being used as a first name for both boys and
                   girls, although historically it has been a surname.
                   Because of Dallas, Texas, which was named for George
                   Mifflin Dallas, vice-president of the United States under
                   James K. Polk, the name evokes the Old West.
     Famous name:  George Dallas Green (baseball manager)

Dalton             Old English daeltun, "valley town."  This place name
                   developed first into a surname and later into a first name,
                   which has the same history as Colton and Milton.  As a
                   given name, it is handed down from a surname on the mother
                   or father's side, usually the mother's maiden name.
    Famous names:  Dalton Jones (baseball player)
                   Dalton Trumbo (novelist)

Dame (see Damian)

Damek (see Damian)

Damian, Damien     Greek damao, "tame"; also, a variation of Damon.  This name
                   got its start early in the Christian Era.  It shows how
                   much the early Christians esteemed placidity and
                   contemplation.  Several saints were named Damian, including
                   St. Damian, who became widely known for his healing powers
                   and medical skills.  Along with his brother, St. Cosmas, he
                   is the patron saint of doctors.  His day is September 26.
                   Geoffrey Chaucer used the name in "The Merchant's Tale."
                   The name also appears in Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe.  Scott
                   appropriately gave the name to a young man studying for
                   Holy Orders.  The given name has become extremely popular
                   in the United States since 1975.
        Nickname:  Dame
      Variations:  Damek (Polish), Damiano (Italian), Demyan (Russian and
                   Ukrainian)

Damiano (see Damian)

Daminano (see Damon)

Damon              Greek daimon, "divine spirit," and Latin deamon, "spirit,
                   demon."  This name was very popular among Elizabethan and
                   Jacobean writers, probably because of Damon, a young herder
                   of goats in Virgil's Eclogues.  It became a stock name in
                   pastoral poems and plays.  The play Damon and Pithias by
                   Richard Edwards was produced in 1571.  Fifty years later,
                   John Banim and Richard Lalor Shell published a tragedy with
                   the same name.  Colly Cibber produced the pastoral farce
                   Damon and Phillida in 1729.  Recently, the name has become
                   very popular.
     Famous name:  Damon Runyon (writer)
      Variations:  Damian, Damien (English), Daminano (Spanish), Damone

Damone (see Damon)

Dan                Hebrew "judge"; also, a form of Daniel.  Because short
                   names have become fashionable, Dan is often used as a
                   separate name and not always thought of as a nickname for
                   Daniel.  In the Old Testament, Dan is the son of Jacob; his
                   mother was Bilah, Rachel's maid.  The biblical city Dan,
                   the most northern point of Palestine, was the inspiration
                   for the name of the Dan River by William Byrd.  Danville,
                   Virginia, takes its name from the river.  Dan was also used
                   as a comic title during the Middle Ages:  Dan Chaucer, Dan
                   Cupid.
    Famous names:  Dan Quayle (U.S. vice-president)
                   Dan Rather (TV newscaster)
       Nicknames:  Dannie, Danny

Dana               Old English "a Dane."  Surnames sometimes signify
                   nationalities, such as Walsh for a person from Wales and
                   Dana for a Dane.  This name has survived since the Danes
                   invaded and settled parts of the British Isles.
    Famous names:  Dana Andrews (actor)
                   Dane Clark (actor)
      Variations:  Dain, Dane

Dandie, Dandy (see Andrew)

Dane               Scandinavian, "a Dane."
       Variation:  Dana

Dani (see Daniel)

Daniel             Hebrew "God is my judge."  In the Old Testament, Daniel
                   is the author of the Book of Daniel.  Because he refused to
                   obey an order of Darius of Persia, Daniel was thrown into a
                   den of lions, but he was saved through the intercession of
                   God.  This well-known biblical story has assured the
                   popularity of the name, especially in Protestant countries.
                   Another biblical Daniel is the son of David and Abigail.
                   In the United States, Daniel ranks among the top-ten names
                   given to boys.
    Famous names:  Daniel Boone (pioneer)
                   Daniel Defoe (novelist)
                   Danny Kaye (comedian)
                   Daniel Webster (statesman)
       Nicknames:  Dan, Dani, Dannie, Danny, Nelo, Nilo
      Variations:  Danielek (Polish), Danielus (Latvian), Daniil (Greek),
                   Danila (Rumanian), Danilo (Spanish), Danilushka (Russian),
                   Danko (Czech), Danylko (Ukrainian), Dusan (Serbian)

Danielek (see Daniel)

Danielus (see Daniel)

Daniil (see Daniel)

Danila (see Daniel)

Danilo (see Daniel)

Danilushka (see Daniel)

Danko (see Daniel)

Danne              Possible variation of Dan.
     Famous name:  Marion Danne Adair (baseball manager)

Dannie, Danny (see Dan, Daniel)

Dante              Italian durante, "lasting."  This popular Italian name is
                   closely associated with Dante Alighieri, the author of the
                   Divina Commedia.
     Famous name:  Dante Gabriel Rossetti (artist)
      Variations:  Duran (English), Durand, Durandarte (Spanish), Durante

Danylko (see Daniel)

Darcy              Old French "from the ark or stronghold"; also, the French
                   place names Arcy-Ste-Restitue and Arcy-sur-Cure.  Norman
                   d'Arcei, a friend of William the Conqueror, brought this
                   name to England.  Darcy is also claimed by Ireland, but the
                   Irish families that use the name are probably of Norman
                   descent.  Jane Austen gave the name to Elizabeth Bennet's
                   aristocratic suitor in Pride and Prejudice.  Darcy is now
                   popular in the United States.  Since the name is also used
                   for girls, it may not continue to be thought of as a boy's
                   name.
     Famous name:  D'arcy Raymond Flowers (baseball player)
      Variations:  Arcy, D'Arcy, D'arcy

Darl (see Darryl)

Darlin (see Darryl)

Darling (see Darryl)

Darrell (see Darryl)

Darryl, Daryl      Probably Old English deor, "dear or darling."  Darryl and
                   Daryl do not occur as surnames, but Darrell and Darling are
                   common.  All can and do serve as given names.  Darryl gets
                   lots of laughs on The Bob Newhart Show.
    Famous names:  Derrel McKinley "Bud" Harrelson (baseball player)
                   Darryl Strawberry (baseball player)
                   Darryl F. Zanuck (movie producer)
 Other spellings:  Darrell, Daryle
       Nicknames:  Darl, Darlin, Derry
       Variation:  Darling

Daryle (see Darryl)

Dave (see David)

Davey (see David)

David              Hebrew Dodavehu, "darling or beloved of God"; originally
                   a lullaby word.  This name is always one of the top-ten
                   names for boys; in 1988, David was the most-popular name.
                   In the Bible, David is the second king of Israel and the
                   author of many of the Psalms.  While he was still a boy, he
                   killed the giant Goliath.  Charles Dickens used the name
                   for the title character of David Copperfield.
    Famous names:  David Ben-Gurion (statesman)
                   David Garrick (actor)
                   David Livingstone (explorer)
                   David Mark Winfield (baseball player)
       Nicknames:  Dabid, Dabney, Dako, Dave, Davey
      Variations:  Davidde (Italian), Davidek (Polish), Davidushka (Russian),
                   Dawid (Yiddish), Dovidas (Latvian), Taavetti (Finnish)

Davidde (see David)

Davidek (see David)

Davidushka (see David)

Davon (see Devon)

Dawayne (see Duane)

Dawid (see David)

Dean               Greek deka, "ten"; Middle English deen, "leader of ten"
                   from which dean of a college derives; also, Old English
                   dene, "valley."  This name is becoming steadily more
                   popular and now ranks in the top-20 most-popular boys'
                   names.  Its recent surge in popularity can be attributed
                   directly to the actor James Dean, who was killed in a car
                   crash at the age of 24 and has had a cult following ever
                   since.
    Famous names:  Dean Acheson (U.S. secretary of state)
                   Wilmer Dean Chance (baseball player)
                   Dean Rusk (U.S. secretary of state)
 Other spellings:  Deane, Dene
        Nickname:  Dino
       Variation:  Denton

Deane (see Dean)

Dederick (see Derek)

Dee                Welsh "holy one."  Dee is often a nickname for names that
                   begin with the letter "D."

Del (see Dale, Delbert, Delmore)

Del Mar (see Delmore)

Delbert            Variation of Old German Adalbert from athal [noble] +
                   berhta [bright].  This name probably came to England during
                   the Norman invasion.  Today, it's not popular.
    Famous names:  Delbert Bernard Unser (baseball player)
                   Delbert Quentin "Babe" Wilber (baseball player and manager)
       Nicknames:  Al, Bert, Del
       Variation:  Albert

Delisle (see Lyle)

Dell               Old English "valley."  This name may be used for either a
                   boy or a girl.
     Famous name:  Albert Dell Flair (baseball player)
       Variation:  Dale

Delmar (see Delmore)

Delmore            Latin "from the sea."
     Famous name:  Delmore Schwartz (writer)
       Nicknames:  Del, Dell
      Variations:  Delmar, Del Mar, Delmer

Demyan (see Damian)

Den (see Dennis)

Dene (see Dean)

Denes (see Dennis)

Dennis             French Denys from Latin Dionysius and Greek Dionusios, the
                   god of Nysa, a Greek mountain, and the god of wine.  St.
                   Dennis is first mentioned in Acts as Dionysius the
                   Areopagite.  According to tradition, he was the first
                   bishop of Athens and was martyred during the prosecution of
                   Christians in A.D. 95.  His day is October 9.  The name
                   also belonged to several other saints and one pope.  When
                   it came to England in the twelfth century, Dennis was
                   adopted as a surname, only later becoming a given name.  As
                   a first name, it ranks high in the 100 most-popular boys'
                   names.
    Famous names:  Saint Denys (patron saint of France)
                   Denis Diderot (encyclopedist)
                   Dennis Dale McLain (baseball pitcher)
                   Dennis Weaver (actor)
  Other spelling:  Denys
       Nicknames:  Conicho, Den, Denny, Nionios
      Variations:  Denes (Hungarian), Dione (French), Dionigi (Italian),
                   Dionisio (Spanish), Dionisiy (Russian), Dioniso
                   (Portuguese), Dionys (German), Dionysios, Dionyssios
                   (Greek), Dyionizy (Polish)

Denny (see Dennis)

Denton (see Dean)

Denys (see Dennis)

Deodoro (see Theodore)

Derek              Dutch Diederick or Direk; also, German-Diederich from
                   Old German Theodoric, theuda [people] + ricja [rule].  This
                   name came to England during the fifteenth century when
                   there was an increased flow of trade with the Dutch.  It
                   was used only sporadically until the late twentieth century
                   when it suddenly became very popular.  In the 1950s, Dirk,
                   which is a variation of this name, was fashionable.
    Famous names:  Derek Brewer (actor)
                   Dirk Bogarde (actor)
                   Derek Nimmo (actor)
        Nickname:  Dirk
      Variations:  Dederick, Diederich (German), Dietrich (English), Direk
                   (Dutch), Theodore (German)

Derry (see Darryl)

Devon              Celtic Defnas, "men of Devon."  This name is found as
                   early as 894, and it is becoming popular in the United
                   States.
     Famous name:  Harvey Devon Christiansen (aerospace engineer)
       Variation:  Davon

Dew (see Dewey)

Dewey              Variation of David; also, English Dewi, "beloved one."
                   This is a common name in the southern part of the United
                   States.  It's unlikely that most parents who name their
                   sons Dewey think of the name as a variation of David, so
                   the English derivation should be considered the source for
                   this name.
      Nickname:    Dew

Dex (see Dexter)

Dexter             Latin dextra, "right hand" or "skillful."  This name came
                   into English in the sixteenth century, probably during the
                   rise of English as a literary language.  Curiously, there
                   is no boy's name based on sinistra, honoring
                   left-handedness.
     Famous name:  Dexter Ford (insurance executive)
       Nicknames:  Dex, Lefty

Dick               Form of Benedict or Richard.  Dick Whittington is the
                   orphan boy who became the mayor of London.
    Famous names:  Dick Butkus (football player)
                   Dick Clarence Clark (U.S. senator)

Dickens (see Richard)

Dickie, Dicky (see Richard)

Dickson (see Richard)

Dicta (see Benedict)

Diederich (see Derek)

Diego (see James)

Dietrich (see Derek)

Dillon (see Dale)

Dino               Form of Bernard or Dean, or names ending in -dino.  Dino
                   ranks in the bottom ten of the 100 most-popular boys'
                   names, but more and more parents are choosing this name
                   because of the trend toward short names.  Most people still
                   consider Dino a nickname.

Dion               Form of Dennis.  This name is not currently popular, but it
                   has begun to appear more often and fits the trend toward
                   short names.  Dion was one of Plato's students and became
                   the ruler of Syracuse in 356 B.C.
     Famous name:  Dion Boucicault (playwright)

Dione (see Dennis)

Dionigi (see Dennis)

Dionisio (see Dennis)

Dionisiy (see Dennis)

Dioniso (see Dennis)

Dionys (see Dennis)

Dionysios (see Dennis)

Dionyssios (see Dennis)

Direk (see Derek)

Dirk (see Derek)

Dix (see Benedict)

Dixie (see Benedict)

Dixon (see Richard)

Doane (see Duane)

Dob (see Robert)

Dobbs (see Robert)

Doby               Form of Robert.
     Famous name:  Larry Doby Johnson (baseball player)

Dodge (see Roger)

Dolan (see Dale)

Dolf (see Adolph)

Dolfie (see Adolph)

Dolly (see Adolph)

Dolph (see Adolph)

Dom (see Dominic, Donald)

Domas (see Thomas)

Domenico (see Dominic)

Domingo (see Dominic)

Domingos (see Dominic)

Dominic            Latin dominicus, "of the Lord"; usually refers to the
                   Lord's day, Sunday, and is given to children born that day.
                   This name began to be used in England in the thirteenth
                   century, influenced directly by the fame of St. Dominic,
                   founder of the Order of Preachers, known now as the
                   Dominican Order.  His day is November 17.  It ranks
                   fortieth among the 100 names most often given to boys in
                   the United States and is most popular with
                   Italian-Americans.
       Nicknames:  Dom, Nick, Nicki, Nickie, Nicky, Nik, Mingo
      Variations:  Domenico (Italian), Domingo, Domingos (Portuguese),
                   Dominiciano (Spanish), Dominick (English), Dominik (Polish
                   and Russian), Domininkas (Latvian), Dominique (French),
                   Domonkos (Hungarian)

Dominiciano (see Dominic)

Dominick, Dominik (see Dominic)

Domininkas (see Dominic)

Dominique (see Dominic)

Domonkos (see Dominic)

Don                Form of Donald.  This name is primarily a nickname, but
                   when it appears as a surname, it may refer to the Spanish
                   title, which is the equivalent of "mister" in English, or
                   to the Italian title, which is the equivalent of "lord."
     Famous name:  Don Raphael Flinn (baseball player)

Donald             Gaelic Domhnall and Old Irish Domnall, "world mighty."
                   This name is very popular in both England and the United
                   States.  King Donald was the first Christian king of
                   Scotland.  The nickname, Don, used as a separate name, fits
                   the current trend toward short names.  While use of the
                   name Donald may have peaked in the United States, the
                   popularity of Don seems to be increasing.
     Famous name:  Donald Sutherland (actor)
       Nicknames:  Dom, Donnie, Don
      Variations:  Bodgan (Russian), Bohdanko (Ukrainian), Donaldas
                   (Lithuanian), Donaldo (Italian), Donley (Irish), Donnell,
                   Tauno (Finnish)

Donaldas (see Donald)

Donaldo (see Donald)

Donley (see Donald)

Donnell (see Donald)

Donnie (see Donald)

Dores (see Theodore)

Dorrell            Variation of Daryl.
     Famous name:  Dorrell Norman Elvert Herzog (baseball manager)

Doug               Form of Douglas.  Doug is one of the short names that are
                   fashionable now.  It ranks high on the list of 100
                   most-often-used boys' names.
     Famous name:  Doug Flutie (football player)

Dougie (see Douglas)

Douglas            Gaelic Dubhglas, "dark blue," "black."  Douglas was
                   originally the name of a river and later of a Scottish
                   clan.  It is one of the ten most-popular names in the
                   United States.  The Douglas clan in Scotland dates back to
                   at least the eighth century.  Shakespeare depicts
                   Archibald, the Earl of Douglas, as one of the Scottish
                   conspirators against Henry IV in Henry the Fourth, Part
                   One.  The name did not become popular in England until the
                   seventeenth century, after the Scottish Stuarts ascended
                   the throne.
    Famous names:  Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (actor)
                   Douglas MacArthur (general)
  Other spelling:  Douglass
       Nicknames:  Doug, Dougie, Dug

Douglass (see Douglas)

Dovidas (see David)

Drew               Old German drogo, "carry," "trust"; also, French Dru; also,
                   a form of Andrew.  This name was first introduced in
                   England at the time of the Norman Conquest by Dru, a
                   companion of William the Conqueror, and it has been
                   moderately popular ever since.  Drew fits the fashion for
                   short names and has risen to the top-50 most-often-used
                   names for boys.
     Famous name:  Drew Pearson (columnist)
  Other spelling:  Dru

Drews (see Andrew)

Dru (see Drew)

Drystan (see Tristram)

Duane              Celtic Doane, "from the sand downs"; or, "from the down."
                   This popular name ranks among the top-50 most-desirable
                   names for boys.  It is one of the fashionably short names
                   that is currently popular in the United States.
    Famous names:  Duane Eddy (musician)
                   Duane Lewis Wilson (baseball player)
                   Dwayne Hickman (actor)
 Other spellings:  Dwain, Dwayne
        Nickname:  Wayne
      Variations:  Dawayne, Doane

Duardo (see Edward)

Dud (see Dudley)

Duddley (see Dudley)

Dudley             Old English Dudda's leah, "Dudda's meadow or clearing";
                   also, "a common meadow."  This name is primarily a
                   surname.  When it is used as a first name, it is usually a
                   family name, such as the mother's maiden name that the
                   parents wish to pass on to their child.
     Famous name:  Dudley Moore (actor).
       Nicknames:  Dud, Lee
  Other spelling:  Duddley

Dug (see Douglas)

Dukarai            Shona (Zimbabwe) "happiness."  This African name
                   parallels English names, such as Joy or Tate (happy).

Duke               Latin dux, "leader."  This English title of high rank has
                   become a surname, a given name, and a nickname.
    Famous names:  Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider (baseball player)
                   Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (musician)
       Nicknames:  Dukie, Duky

Dukie, Duky (see Duke)

Dun (see Duncan)

Dunc (see Duncan)

Duncan             Old Irish Dunecan, "brown head."  This name has always
                   been associated with the Scots, although it figured
                   prominently in Icelandic sagas.  King Duncan I of Scotland
                   is best known outside Scotland as the king who is
                   assassinated by the power-hungry Macbeth in Shakespeare's
                   tragedy.  As a given name, it now ranks among the 100
                   most-often-used boys' names.
    Famous names:  Duncan Hines (gourmet)
                   Duncan Phyfe (cabinetmaker)
       Nicknames:  Can, Dun, Dunc, Dunk
       Variation:  Dunkanas (Latvian)

Dunk (see Duncan)

Dunkanas (see Duncan)

Duran, Durand (see Dante)

Durandarte, Durante (see Dante)

Dusan (see Daniel)

Dwain, Dwayne (see Duane)

Dwight             Possibly Old English "a clearing"; also, German "white";
                   or Dutch "white" or "fair."  This name has never been
                   popular in England.  It emigrated to the United States from
                   there in the seventeenth century and has been used by
                   American parents off and on since then.  Despite the
                   popularity of Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th U.S. president),
                   the use of this name has fallen off still further in recent
                   years.
     Famous name:  Dwight Gooden (baseball pitcher)

Dyionizy (see Dennis)

Dyl (see Dylan)

Dylan              Welsh "of the sea."  Dylan was the mythical sea god of the
                   waves.  An extremely popular name in Wales, it has only
                   recently begun to be used in the United States, mostly
                   through the influence of the singer Bob Dylan, who took his
                   name from Dylan Thomas.
        Nickname:  Dyl
       Variation:  Dylanne

Dylanne (see Dylan)

Dzhordzh (see George)