DIPAKmIndian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, NepaliModern form of
DIPAKA.
DIPAKAmHinduismMeans "inflaming, exciting" in Sanskrit. This is another name of
Kama, the Hindu god of love.
DIRKmDutch, German, EnglishShort form of
DIEDERIK. The name was popularized in the English-speaking world by actor Dirk Bogarde (1921-1999), who had some Dutch ancestry. This is also the Scots word for a type of dagger.
DIXIEfEnglishFrom the term that refers to the southern United States, used by Daniel D. Emmett in his song
Dixie in 1859. The term may be derived from French
dix "ten", which was printed on ten-dollar bills issued from a New Orleans bank.
DMITRIYmRussianRussian form of
DEMETRIUS. Dmitriy Mendeleev (1834-1907) was the Russian chemist who devised the periodic table.
DOIREANNfIrish, Irish MythologyMeans "sullen, tempestuous" in Irish. This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a daughter of Bodb Derg who poisoned
Fionn mac Cumhail.
DOLLYfEnglishDiminutive of
DOROTHY.
Doll and
Dolly were used from the 16th century, and the common English word
doll (for the plaything) is derived from them. In modern times this name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of
DOLORES.
DOLORESfSpanish, EnglishMeans "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary María de los Dolores, meaning "Mary of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
DOMINICmEnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Dominicus meaning "of the Lord". This name was traditionally given to a child born on Sunday. Several saints have borne this name, including the 13th-century founder of the Dominican order of friars. It was in this saint's honour that the name was first used in England, starting around the 13th century. It is primarily used by Catholics.
DOMITIANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Domitianus, itself derived from the family name
DOMITIUS. This was the name of a 1st-century Roman emperor, Titus Flavius Domitianus.
DOMITILLAfItalian, Ancient RomanFeminine diminutive of the Roman family name
DOMITIUS. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasian and the mother of emperors Titus and Domitian.
DOMITIUSmAncient RomanRoman family name which was probably derived from Latin
domitus meaning "having been tamed".
DONALDmScottish, EnglishFrom the Gaelic name
Domhnall which means "ruler of the world", composed of the old Celtic elements
dumno "world" and
val "rule". This was the name of two 9th-century kings of the Scots and Picts. It has traditionally been very popular in Scotland, and during the 20th century it became common in the rest of the English-speaking world. This is the name of one of Walt Disney's most popular cartoon characters, Donald Duck. It was also borne by Australian cricket player Donald Bradman (1908-2001).
DONATELLOmItalianDiminutive of
DONATO. The Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolo di Bette Bardi was better known as Donatello.
DONATOmItalian, Spanish, PortugueseFrom the Late Latin name
Donatus meaning "given". Several early saints had this name. The name was also borne by two Renaissance masters: the sculptor Donato di Niccolo di Bette Bardi (also known as Donatello), and the architect Donato Bramante.
DONGmChineseFrom Chinese
东 (dōng) meaning "east",
栋 (dòng) meaning "pillar, beam", or other characters which are pronounced similarly.
DONG-GEUNmKoreanFrom Sino-Korean
東 (dong) meaning "east" and
根 (geun) meaning "root, foundation", as well as other hanja character combinations.
DONNAfEnglishFrom Italian
donna meaning "lady". It is also used as a feminine form of
DONALD.
DONNDUBHÁNmAncient IrishComposed of the Gaelic element
donn "brown" combined with
dubh "dark" and a diminutive suffix.
DORANmIrishFrom an Irish surname which was derived from
Ó Deoráin meaning "descendant of Deoradhán". The name
Deoradhán means "exile, wanderer" in Gaelic.
DORCASfBiblicalDerived from Greek
δορκας (dorkas) meaning "gazelle". This is the Greek translation of the name
Tabitha in the New Testament (see Acts 9:36).
DOREENfEnglishCombination of
DORA and the name suffix
een. The name was (first?) used by novelist Edna Lyall in her novel 'Doreen' (1894).
DORIANmEnglish, FrenchThe name was first used by Oscar Wilde in his novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' (1891), which tells the story of a man whose portrait ages while he stays young. Wilde may have taken it from the name of the ancient Greek tribe the Dorians, or from the surname
DORAN.
DORINDAfEnglishCombination of
DORA and the name suffix
inda. It was apparently coined by the English writers John Dryden and William D'Avenant for their play 'The Enchanted Island' (1667). In the play, a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', Dorinda is the sister of Miranda.
DORISfEnglish, German, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFrom the ancient Greek name
Δωρις (Doris) which meant "Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-).
DOROTHEAfGerman, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, English, Late GreekFeminine form of the Late Greek name
Δωροθεος (Dorotheos), which meant "gift of God" from Greek
δωρον (doron) "gift" and
θεος (theos) "god". The name
Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
DOROTHYfEnglishUsual English form of
DOROTHEA. It has been in use since the 16th century. The author L. Frank Baum used it for the central character in his fantasy novel 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' (1900).
DOUGALmScottish, IrishAnglicized form of the Gaelic name
Dubhghall, which meant "dark stranger" from
dubh "dark" and
gall "stranger".
DOUGLASmScottish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Scottish surname
Dubhghlas, meaning "dark river" from Gaelic
dubh "dark" and
glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to
glas "grey, green"). Douglas was originally a place name (for example, a tributary of the River Clyde), which then became a Scottish clan name borne by a powerful line of earls. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.
DOVEfEnglishFrom the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.
DOYLEmIrishFrom an Irish surname which was derived from
Ó Dubhghaill meaning "descendant of Dubhghall" (see
DOUGAL). Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories.
DO-YUNmKoreanFrom Sino-Korean
道 (do) meaning "path, road, way" and
允 (yun) meaning "allow, consent", as well as other hanja character combinations.
DRACOmAncient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Δρακων (Drakon) which meant "dragon, serpent". This was the name of a 7th-century BC Athenian legislator. This is also the name of a constellation in the northern sky.
DRAGOȘmRomanianOriginally a short form of Slavic names beginning with the element
dragu "precious", such as
DRAGOMIR. This was the name of a 14th-century ruler of Moldavia.
DRAKEmEnglishFrom an English surname derived from the Old Norse byname
Draki or the Old English byname
Draca both meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greek
δρακων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent". This name coincides with the unrelated English word
drake meaning "male duck".
DRAUPADIfHinduismMeans "daughter of
DRUPADA" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the 'Mahabharata' this is the name of the daughter of King Drupada. She married all of the Pandavas, the five sons of Pandu.
DRISCOLLmEnglish (Rare), IrishFrom an Irish surname which was an Anglicized form of
Ó Eidirsceóil meaning "descendant of the messenger".
DROGOmEnglish (Archaic)Norman name, possibly derived from Gothic
dragen "to carry" or Saxon
drog "ghost". Alternatively, it could be from the Slavic element
dragu "precious, dear". The Normans introduced this name to England.
DRORmHebrewMeans "freedom" or "sparrow" in Hebrew.
DRUMMONDmEnglish (Rare)From a Scottish surname which was derived from various place names, themselves derived from Gaelic
druim meaning "ridge".
DRUPADAmHinduismMeans "wooden pillar" or "firm footed" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the 'Mahabharata' this is the name of a king of Panchala, the father of Draupadi and Dhrishtadyumna.
DRUSTmAncient CelticPictish name probably derived from Celtic
drest meaning "riot" or "tumult". This name was borne by several kings of the Picts, including their last king Drust X, who ruled in the 9th century.
DRUSUSmAncient RomanRoman family name, also sometimes used as a praenomen, or given name, by the Claudia family. Apparently the name was first assumed by a Roman warrior who killed a Gallic chieftain named Drausus in single combat.
Drausus possibly derives from a Celtic element meaning "strong".
DUANEmEnglish, IrishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname
Ó Dubhán meaning "descendant of
DUBHÁN".
DUARTEmPortuguesePortuguese form of
EDWARD. This name was borne by a 15th-century king of Portugal, who was named after his maternal ancestor Edward III of England.
DUBHÁNmIrishIrish name derived from
dubh "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix.
DUBHSHLÁINEmAncient IrishOld Irish name derived from
dubh "dark, black" and either
slán "defiance" or
Sláine, the Gaelic name of the River Slaney.
DUBHTHACHmAncient IrishOld Irish name derived from
dubh "dark, black" in combination with a second element of unknown meaning.
DUDLEYmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally from a place name meaning "Dudda's clearing" in Old English. The surname was borne by a British noble family.
DUILIOmItalian, SpanishFrom the Roman name
Duilius, which is possibly derived from Latin
duellum "war". This was the name of a Roman consul who defeated the Carthaginians in a naval battle.
DUKEmEnglishFrom the noble title
duke, which was originally derived from Latin
dux "leader".
DUKVAKHAmChechenMeans "to live long", derived from Nakh
duqa "many" and
vakha "to live".
DULCIBELLAfEnglish (Archaic)From Latin
dulcis "sweet" and
bella "beautiful". The usual medieval spelling of this name was
Dowsabel, and the Latinized form
Dulcibella was revived in the 18th century.
DULCIEfEnglishFrom Latin
dulcis meaning "sweet". It was used in the Middle Ages in the spellings
Dowse and
Duce, and was recoined in the 19th century.
DULCINEAfLiteratureDerived from Spanish
dulce meaning "sweet". This name was (first?) used by Miguel de Cervantes in his novel 'Don Quixote' (1605), where it belongs to the love interest of the main character, though she never actually appears in the story.
DUMUZImSumerian MythologyFrom Sumerian
𒌉 (dumu) meaning "son, child" and
𒍣 (zid) meaning "true, loyal". This was the name of a Sumerian god of shepherds and vegetation, the husband of
Inanna. He was said to spend half of each year in the underworld, resulting in the yearly cycle of seasons. He was known to the Semitic peoples of Mesopotamia as
Tammuz.
DUNCANmScottish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Gaelic name
Donnchadh, derived from Gaelic
donn "brown" and
cath "battle". This was the name of two kings of Scotland, including the one who was featured in Shakespeare's play 'Macbeth' (1606).
DUNJAfSerbian, Croatian, SloveneSerbian, Croatian and Slovene form of
DUNYA. This also means "quince" in the South Slavic languages, a quince being a type of fruit.
DUNSTANmEnglish (Rare), Anglo-SaxonFrom the Old English elements
dunn "dark" and
stan "stone". This name was borne by a 10th-century saint, the archbishop of Canterbury. It was occasionally used in the Middle Ages, though it died out after the 16th century. It was revived by the Tractarian movement in the 19th century.
DURANTEmItalianItalian form of the Late Latin name
Durans which meant "enduring".
DURIf & mKoreanMeans "two" in Korean (Gyeongsang dialect).
DURWARDmEnglishFrom an occupational surname which meant "door guard" in Middle English.
DUSTINmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from the Old Norse given name
Þórsteinn (see
TORSTEN). The name was popularized by the actor Dustin Hoffman (1937-), who was apparently named after the earlier silent movie star Dustin Farnum (1874-1929).
DUSTYm & fEnglishFrom a nickname originally given to people perceived as being dusty. It is also used a diminutive of
DUSTIN. A famous bearer was British singer Dusty Springfield (1939-1999), who acquired her nickname as a child.
DUTCHmEnglishFrom a nickname given to Americans of German descent. It is derived from
Deutsch, the German word for the German people.