English Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is English. English is a West Germanic language spoken in Great Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other places.
gender
usage
origin
​
Carleton m English
Variant of Charlton.
Carlisle m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of a city in northern England. The city was originally called by the Romans Luguvalium meaning "stronghold of Lugus". Later the Brythonic element ker "fort" was appended to the name of the city.
Carlton m English
Variant of Charlton.
Carlyle m English
Variant of Carlisle.
Carmel f & m English, Jewish
From the title of the Virgin Mary Our Lady of Mount Carmel. כַּרְמֶל (Karmel) (meaning "garden" in Hebrew) is a mountain in Israel mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the site of several early Christian monasteries. As an English given name, it has mainly been used by Catholics. As a Jewish name it is unisex.
Carmella f English
Latinized form of Carmel.
Carmi m Biblical
Means "vine" in Hebrew. This was the name of a son of Reuben in the Old Testament.
Carson m & f English
From a Scottish surname of uncertain meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was the American scout Kit Carson (1809-1868).
Carter m English
From an English surname that meant "one who uses a cart". A famous bearer of the surname is former American president Jimmy Carter (1924-).
Carver m English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "wood carver".
Cary m & f English
Variant of Carey. A famous bearer was the British-American actor Cary Grant (1904-1986).
Case m English (Modern)
Short form of Casey.
Casey m & f English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Cathasaigh, a patronymic derived from the given name Cathassach. This name can be given in honour of Casey Jones (1863-1900), a train engineer who sacrificed his life to save his passengers. In his case, Casey was a nickname acquired because he was raised in the town of Cayce, Kentucky.
Cash m English
From an English occupational surname for a box maker, derived from Norman French casse meaning "case", from Latin capsa. It coincides with the English word cash meaning "money" (derived from the same French and Latin roots). A famous bearer of the surname was American musician Johnny Cash (1932-2003).
Cason m English (Modern)
An invented name, based on the sound of names such as Mason and Jason. It also coincides with the English surname Cason.
Cass f & m English
Short form of Cassandra, Cassidy and other names beginning with Cass.
Cassarah f English (Rare)
Recently created name intended to mean "what will be, will be". It is from the title of the 1956 song Que Sera, Sera, which was taken from the Italian phrase che sarà sarà. The phrase que sera, sera is not grammatically correct in any Romance language.
Cassidy f & m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Caiside), which is derived from the byname Caiside. Very rare as a given name before the 1970s, it established itself in the 80s and then surged in popularity during the 90s.
Cassie f English
Diminutive of Cassandra and other names beginning with Cass.
Cassy f English
Diminutive of Cassandra and other names beginning with Cass.
Cat f & m English
Diminutive of Catherine. It can also be a nickname from the English word for the animal.
Cavan m English
Either from the name of the Irish county, which is derived from Irish cabhán "hollow", or else from the Irish surname Cavan.
Cayden m English (Modern)
Variant of Caden.
Cayla f English (Modern)
Variant of Kayla.
Caylee f English (Modern)
Variant of Kaylee.
Cayley f English (Rare)
Variant of Kaylee.
Cayson m English (Modern)
Variant of Cason.
Ceara f English (Rare)
Variant of Ciara 2.
Cearra f English (Rare)
Variant of Ciara 2.
Cecil m English
From the Roman name Caecilius (see Cecilia). This was the name of a 3rd-century saint, a companion of Saint Cyprian. Though it was in use during the Middle Ages in England, it did not become common until the 19th century when it was given in honour of the noble Cecil family, who had been prominent since the 16th century. Their surname was derived from the Welsh given name Seisyll, which was derived from the Roman name Sextilius, a derivative of Sextus.
Cedar f & m English (Rare)
From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κέδρος (kedros).
Celandine f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived from Greek χελιδών (chelidon) meaning "swallow (bird)".
Chace m English (Modern)
Variant of Chase.
Chadwick m English
From a surname that was derived from the name of towns in England, meaning "settlement belonging to Chad" in Old English.
Chalice f English (Rare)
Means simply "chalice, goblet" from the English word, derived from Latin calix.
Chance m English
Originally a diminutive of Chauncey. It is now usually given in reference to the English word chance meaning "luck, fortune" (ultimately derived from Latin cadens "falling").
Chandler m & f English
From an occupational surname that meant "candle seller" or "candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately from Latin candela via Old French. It surged in popularity after the 1994 debut of the American sitcom Friends, featuring a character by this name.
Chanel f English
From a French surname that meant either "channel", indicating a person who lived near a channel of water, or "jug, jar, bottle", indicating a manufacturer of jugs. It has been used as an American given name since 1970s, influenced by the Chanel brand name (a line of women's clothing and perfume), which was named for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).
Chanelle f English (Modern)
Variant of Chanel.
Channing m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname of uncertain origin.
Chanté f English (Modern)
Means "sung" in French.
Charisma f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "personal magnetism", ultimately derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness".
Charissa f English, Dutch
Elaborated form of Charis. Edmund Spencer used it in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
Charisse f English
From a French surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in honour of American actress and dancer Cyd Charisse (1921-2008).
Charity f English
From the English word charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin caritas "generous love", from Latin carus "dear, beloved". Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Charlton m English
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "settlement of free men" in Old English.
Charmaine f English
Meaning unknown, perhaps a combination of Charmian or the English word charm with the aine suffix from Lorraine. It was (first?) used for a character in the play What Price Glory (1924), which was made into a popular movie in 1926.
Charnette f English (Rare)
Probably an invented name.
Chase m English
From an English surname meaning "chase, hunt" in Middle English, originally a nickname for a huntsman.
Chasity f English
Variant of Chastity.
Chastity f English
From the English word chastity, which is ultimately from Latin castus "pure". It was borne by the child of Sonny Bono and Cher, which probably led to the name's increase in popularity during the 1970s.
Chauncey m English
From a Norman surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in America in honour of Harvard president Charles Chauncey (1592-1672).
Chelsea f English
From the name of a district in London, originally derived from Old English and meaning "landing place for chalk or limestone". It has been in general use as an English given name since the 1970s.
Chelsey f English (Modern)
Variant of Chelsea.
Chelsie f English (Modern)
Variant of Chelsea.
Cher f English
Short form of Cheryl. In the case of the American musician Cher (1946-), it is short for her real name Cherilyn.
Cherette f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Cherie.
Cheri f English
Variant of Cherie.
Cherice f English (Rare)
Variant of Charisse.
Cherie f English
Derived from French chérie meaning "darling". In America, Cherie came into use shortly after the variant Sherry, and has not been as common.
Cherilyn f English
Combination of Cheryl and the popular name suffix lyn.
Cherise f English
Variant of Charisse.
Cherish f English
From the English word meaning "to treasure".
Cherokee f & m English (Rare)
Probably derived from the Creek word tciloki meaning "people of a different speech". This is the name of a Native American people who live in the east of North America.
Cherry f English
Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit. It can also be a diminutive of Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.
Cherryl f English
Variant of Cheryl.
Cheryl f English
Elaboration of Cherie, perhaps influenced by Beryl. This name was very rare before the 20th century. It seems to have been popularized in America by the actress Cheryl Walker (1918-1971), who had a prominent role in the 1943 movie Stage Door Canteen. After peaking in the 1950s the name has subsequently faded from the popularity charts.
Chesley m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "camp meadow" in Old English.
Chester m English
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who came from Chester, an old Roman settlement in Britain. The name of the settlement came from Latin castrum "camp, fortress".
Chet m English
Short form of Chester.
Cheyanne f English (Modern)
Variant of Cheyenne probably influenced by the name Anne 1.
Cheyenne f English
Derived from the Lakota word šahiyena meaning "red speakers". This is the name of a Native American people of the Great Plains. The name was supposedly given to the Cheyenne by the Lakota because their language was unrelated to their own. As a given name, it has been in use since the 1950s.
Chile m English (Rare)
Variant of Kyle.
China f English (Modern)
From the name of the Asian country, ultimately derived from Qin, the name of a dynasty that ruled there in the 3rd century BC.
Christabel f English (Rare)
Combination of Christina and the name suffix bel (inspired by Latin bella "beautiful"). This name occurs in medieval literature, and was later used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his 1816 poem Christabel.
Christabella f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Christabel.
Christabelle f English (Rare)
Variant of Christabel.
Christal f English
Variant of Crystal.
Christmas m & f English (Rare)
From the name of the holiday, which means "Christ festival".
Christobel f English (Archaic)
Variant of Christabel.
Chrysanta f English (Rare)
Shortened form of the word chrysanthemum, the name of a flowering plant, which means "golden flower" in Greek.
Chrystal f English
Variant of Crystal.
Chyna f English (Modern)
Variant of China.
Ciara 2 f English (Modern)
Variant of Sierra. Use of the name has perhaps been influenced by the brand of perfume called Ciara, which was introduced by Revlon in 1973.
Ciera f English (Modern)
Variant of Sierra.
Cierra f English (Modern)
Variant of Sierra.
Clancy m & f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Mac Fhlannchaidh), derived from the given name Flannchadh meaning "red warrior".
Clarence m English
From the Latin title Clarensis, which belonged to members of the British royal family. The title ultimately derives from the name of the town of Clare in Suffolk. As a given name it has been in use since the 19th century.
Claribel f English
Combination of Clara and the common name suffix bel, from Latin bella "beautiful". This name was used by Edmund Spenser in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590; in the form Claribell) and by Shakespeare in his play The Tempest (1611). Alfred Tennyson also wrote a poem entitled Claribel (1830).
Clarity f English (Rare)
Simply means "clarity, lucidity" from the English word, ultimately from Latin clarus "clear".
Clark m English
From an English surname meaning "cleric" or "scribe", from Old English clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. As a first name it was borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), as well as the comic book character Clark Kent, the mild-mannered alter ego of Superman, first created 1938.
Clay m English
From an English surname that originally referred to a person who lived near or worked with clay. This name can also be a short form of Clayton.
Clayton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from various English place names, all meaning "clay settlement" in Old English.
Clematis f English (Rare)
From the English word for a type of flowering vine, ultimately derived from Greek κλήμα (klema) meaning "twig, branch".
Cleve m English
Short form of Cleveland.
Cleveland m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "cliff land" (from Old English clif and land). This was the surname of American president Grover Cleveland (1837-1908). It is also the name of an American city, which was founded by surveyor Moses Cleaveland (1754-1806).
Cliff m English
Short form of Clifford or Clifton.
Clifford m English
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "ford by a cliff" in Old English.
Clifton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "settlement by a cliff" in Old English.
Clint m English
Short form of Clinton. A notable bearer is American actor Clint Eastwood (1930-), who became famous early in his career for his western movies.
Clinton m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from towns named Glinton, of uncertain meaning, or Glympton, meaning "settlement on the River Glyme". A famous bearer of the surname is former American president Bill Clinton (1946-).
Clive m English
From an English surname derived from Old English clif meaning "cliff", originally belonging to a person who lived near a cliff.
Clover f English (Modern)
From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English clafre.
Clyde m English
From the name of the River Clyde in Scotland, from Cumbric Clud, which is of uncertain origin. It became a common given name in America in the middle of the 19th century, perhaps in honour of Colin Campbell (1792-1863) who was given the title Baron Clyde in 1858.
Codie m & f English (Modern)
Variant or feminine form of Cody.
Cody m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of both Irish Gaelic Ó Cuidighthigh meaning "descendant of the helpful one" and Mac Óda meaning "son of Odo". A famous bearer of the surname was the American frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917).
Cohen m English (Modern)
From a common Jewish surname that was derived from Hebrew כֹּהֵן (kohen) meaning "priest". This surname was traditionally associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical Aaron.
Colbert m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman form of the Old German name Colobert.
Colby m English
From an English surname, originally from various place names, derived from the Old Norse nickname Koli (meaning "coal, dark") and býr "town". As a given name, its popularity spiked in the United States and Canada in 2001 when Colby Donaldson (1974-) appeared on the reality television show Survivor.
Cole m English
From an English surname, itself originally derived from either a medieval short form of Nicholas or the byname Cola. A famous bearer was the songwriter Cole Porter (1891-1964), while a bearer of the surname was the musician Nat King Cole (1919-1965).... [more]
Coleen f English
Variant of Colleen.
Colene f English (Rare)
Variant of Colleen.
Colleen f English
Derived from the Irish word cailín meaning "girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.
Collins f & m English
From a surname, which is either Irish or English in origin (see Collins 1 and Collins 2). It increased in popularity as a name for girls after it appeared in the movie The Blind Side (2009), which was based on a 2006 biography. As a masculine name, it is currently most common in parts of English-speaking Africa.
Collyn f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Colleen or Colin 2.
Colson m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of Col". As a given name it entered the American top 1000 rankings in 2017, probably inspired by similar-sounding names such as Cole and Colton.
Colt m English (Modern)
From the English word for a young male horse or from the surname of the same origin. It may be given in honour of the American industrialist Samuel Colt (1814-1862) or the firearms company that bears his name. It was brought to public attention in 1981 by the main character on the television series The Fall Guy.
Colten m English (Modern)
Variant of Colton.
Colter m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally given to a keeper of horses, derived from Middle English colt.
Colton m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Cola's town". It started being used as a given name in the 1980s. Likely in some cases it was viewed as an elaborated or full form of Cole or Colt.
Columbine f English (Rare)
From the name of a variety of flower. It is also an English form of Colombina, the pantomime character.
Comfort f English (African)
From the English word comfort, ultimately from Latin confortare "to strengthen greatly", a derivative of fortis "strong". It was used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It is now most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Connell m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Conaill, a derivative of the given name Conall.
Constant m French, Dutch (Rare), English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Constans. It was also used by the Puritans as a vocabulary name, from the English word constant.
Conway m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means "holy water" in Welsh.
Cooper m English
From a surname meaning "barrel maker", from Middle English couper.
Coral f English, Spanish
From the English and Spanish word coral for the underwater skeletal deposits that can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κοράλλιον (korallion).
Corbin m English
From a French surname that was derived from corbeau "raven", originally denoting a person who had dark hair. The name was probably popularized in America by actor Corbin Bernsen (1954-).
Cordell m English
From an English surname meaning "maker of cord" or "seller of cord" in Middle English.
Corey m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Kóri, of unknown meaning. This name became popular in the 1960s due to the character Corey Baker on the television series Julia.
Cori f English
Feminine form of Corey.
Coriander f English (Rare)
From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
Corie f English
Variant of Corrie.
Cornell m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Cornelius.
Corrie f English, Dutch
Diminutive of Corinna, Cora, Cornelia, and other names starting with Cor. Since the 1970s it has also been used as a feminine form of Corey.
Cortney f & m English
Variant of Courtney.
Corwin m English
From an English surname, derived from Old French cordoan "leather", ultimately from the name of the Spanish city of Cordova.
Cory m English
Variant of Corey.
Coty m English (Modern)
Variant of Cody.
Courteney f English
Variant of Courtney. A famous bearer is actress Courteney Cox (1964-).
Courtney f & m English
From an aristocratic English surname that was derived either from the French place name Courtenay (originally a derivative of the personal name Curtenus, itself derived from Latin curtus "short") or else from a Norman nickname meaning "short nose".... [more]
Coy m English
From a surname that meant "quiet, shy, coy" from Middle English coi.
Craig m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic creag meaning "crag, rocks, outcrop", originally indicating a person who lived near a crag.
Crawford m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "crow ford" in Old English.
Cree m & f English (Rare)
From the name of a Native American tribe of central Canada. Their name derives via French from the Cree word kiristino.
Creighton m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name, originally from Gaelic crioch "border" combined with Old English tun "town".
Crew m English (Modern)
Either from a surname that was derived from the English town of Crewe (from Old Welsh criu meaning "weir"), or from the English vocabulary word for a group of people.
Crofton m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town with a small enclosed field" in Old English.
Crystal f English
From the English word crystal for the clear, colourless glass, sometimes cut into the shape of a gemstone. The English word derives ultimately from Greek κρύσταλλος (krystallos) meaning "ice". It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.
Cullen m English
From a surname, either Cullen 1 or Cullen 2. It jumped a little in popularity as a given name after Stephenie Meyer's novel Twilight (2005), featuring a vampire named Edward Cullen, was adapted into a movie in 2008.
Curran m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Corraidhín, itself from the given name Corraidhín.
Curt m English
Either a variant of Kurt or short form of Curtis.
Curtis m English
From an English surname that originally meant "courteous" in Old French.
Cyan f & m English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "greenish blue, cyan", ultimately derived from Greek κύανος (kyanos).
Cydney f English (Modern)
Variant of Sydney.
Dacre m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name in Cumbria, of Brythonic origin meaning "trickling stream".
Daffodil f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, ultimately derived from Dutch de affodil meaning "the asphodel".
Dahlia f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which was named for the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.
Daisy f English
Simply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.... [more]
Dakota m & f English (Modern)
From the name of the Native American people of the northern Mississippi Valley, or from the two American states that were named for them: North and South Dakota (until 1889 unified as the Dakota Territory). The tribal name means "allies, friends" in the Dakota language.... [more]
Dale m & f English
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who lived near a dale or valley.
Daley f & m English (Rare), Dutch (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Dálaigh, itself derived from the given name Dálach. Its recent popularity in the Netherlands can be attributed to the Dutch soccer player Daley Blind (1990-).
Dallas m & f English
From a surname that could either be of Old English origin meaning "valley house" or of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "meadow dwelling". A city in Texas bears this name, probably in honour of American Vice President George M. Dallas (1792-1864).
Dalton m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "valley town" in Old English. A notable bearer of the surname was John Dalton (1766-1844), the English chemist and physicist who theorized about the existence of atoms.
Daly f & m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Daley.
Damarion m African American
Combination of the popular phonetic prefix da and Marion 2.
Dana 2 m & f English
From a surname that is of unknown origin. It was originally given in honour of American lawyer Richard Henry Dana Jr. (1815-1882), the author of the memoir Two Years Before the Mast.
D'Andre m African American
Variant of DeAndre.
Dane m English
From an English surname that was either a variant of the surname Dean or else an ethnic name referring to a person from Denmark.
D'Angelo m African American
Variant of DeAngelo.
Daquan m African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements da and quan. It can be spelled Daquan or with a capitalized third letter as DaQuan.
Darby m & f English
From an English surname, which was derived from the name of the town of Derby, meaning "deer town" in Old Norse.
Darcey f English
Feminine variant of Darcy.
Darcie f English
Feminine variant of Darcy.
D'Arcy f & m English
Variant of Darcy.
Darcy f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French d'Arcy, originally denoting one who came from the town of Arcy in La Manche, France. This is the surname of a character, Fitzwilliam Darcy, in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice (1813).
Darden m English (Rare)
From an English surname of unknown meaning, possibly from a place name.
Darell m English
Variant of Darrell.
Daren m English
Variant of Darren. In fact this form occurs earlier in American records, though Darren eventually became more popular.
Darian m & f English
Probably an elaborated form of Darren.
Dariel m English (Modern), Spanish (Caribbean, Modern)
Probably an elaborated form of Darrell, with an ending similar to biblical names such as Daniel.
Darien m English
Variant of Darian.
Darin m English
Variant of Darren. This was the adopted surname of the singer Bobby Darin (1936-1973), who was born Robert Cassotto and chose his stage name from a street sign.
Darion m English (Modern)
Variant of Darian.
Darla f English
Variant of Darlene using the suffix la.
Darleen f English
Variant of Darlene.
Darlene f English
From the English word darling combined with the common name suffix lene. This name has been in use since the beginning of the 20th century.
Darnell m English, African American
From an English surname that was derived from Old French darnel, a type of grass. In some cases the surname may be from a place name, itself derived from Old English derne "hidden" and halh "nook".
Darrel m English
Variant of Darrell.
Darrell m English, African American
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French d'Airelle, originally denoting one who came from Airelle in France. As a given name it was moderately popular from the 1930s to the 1970s, but it dropped off the American top 1000 rankings in 2018.
Darren m English
The meaning of this name is not known for certain. In the spelling Daren, it was used by the novelist Zane Grey for the central character in his novel The Day of the Beast (1922). Grey may have based it on a rare Irish surname, or perhaps created it as a variant of Darrell. It was brought to public attention in the late 1950s by the American actor Darren McGavin (1922-2006; born as William Lyle Richardson). It was further popularized in the 1960s by the character Darrin Stephens from the television show Bewitched.
Darrin m English
Variant of Darren.
Darryl m English, African American
Variant of Darrell. In the United States, this spelling was more popular than Darrell from 1960 to 1966, being especially well-used in the African-American community.
Darwin m English
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Deorwine. The surname was borne by the British naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882), the man who first proposed the theory of natural selection and subsequently revolutionized biology.
Daryl m English
Variant of Darrell.
Dash m English (Modern)
Probably inspired by the English word dash meaning "run, sprint". In some cases it can be a short form of Dashiell, as in the animated movie The Incredibles (2004) where it belongs to a speedy young superhero.
Dashawn m African American
Variant of Deshawn.
Dashiell m English (Rare)
In the case of American author Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) it was from his mother's surname, which was possibly an Anglicized form of French de Chiel, of unknown meaning.
Dathan m Biblical
Possibly means "fountain" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the conspirators against Moses.
Davin m English
Possibly a variant of Devin influenced by David.
Davion m African American (Modern)
Recently created name, based on the sounds found in names such as David and Darian.
Davis m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name David. A famous bearer of the surname was Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), the only president of the Confederate States of America.
Davon m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements da and von.
Davonte m African American (Modern)
Variant of Devante.
Dawn f English
From the English word dawn, ultimately derived from Old English dagung.
Dawson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of David". As a given name, it was popularized in the late 1990s by the central character on the television drama Dawson's Creek (1998-2003). In the United States the number of boys receiving the name increased tenfold between 1997 and 1999. It got another boost in 2014 after it was used for a main character in the movie The Best of Me.
Dax m English
From an English surname, which was derived either from the town of Dax in France or from the Old English given name Dæcca (of unknown meaning). The name was brought to public attention by the main character in the 1966 novel The Adventurers and its 1970 movie adaptation. It became popular in the 2010s due to its similarity to other names like Max and Jax.
Daxton m English (Modern)
Elaboration of Dax influenced by names such as Paxton and Braxton.
Dayna f English
Feminine variant of Dana 2.
Dayton m English
From an English surname that was derived from places named Deighton, meaning "ditch town" in Old English. Dayton is also the name of a city in Ohio. As a given name, it gained a bit of popularity in the 1990s, probably because it shares a similar sound with names such as Peyton and Clayton.
Deacon m English (Modern)
Either from the occupational surname Deacon or directly from the vocabulary word deacon, which refers to a cleric in the Christian church (ultimately from Greek διάκονος (diakonos) meaning "servant").
Dean m English
From a surname, see Dean 1 and Dean 2. The actor James Dean (1931-1955) was a famous bearer of the surname.
Deana f English
Variant of Deanna.
DeAndre m African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Andre.
DeAngelo m African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Angelo.
Deanna f English
Either a variant of Diana or a feminine form of Dean. This name was popularized by the Canadian actress and singer Deanna Durbin (1921-2013), whose birth name was Edna. Her stage name was a rearrangement of the letters of her real name.
Deanne f English
Variant of Deanna.
Dedrick m African American
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Diederik.
Dee f & m English
Short form of names beginning with D. It may also be given in reference to the Dee River in Scotland.
Deeann f English
Variant of Deanna.
Deedee f English
Originally a nickname, typically for names beginning with D. It can be spelled Deedee, DeeDee or Dee Dee.
Deemer m English (Rare)
From an English and Scottish surname meaning "judge", from Old English demere.
Deena f English
Variant of Deanna.
Deforest m English
From a French surname meaning "from the forest". It was originally given in honour of American author John Deforest (1826-1906).
Deforrest m English (Rare)
Variant of Deforest.
Deisy f Spanish (Latin American, Modern)
Spanish form of the English name Daisy.
Delaney f English (Modern)
From a surname: either the English surname Delaney 1 or the Irish surname Delaney 2.
Delano m English
From a surname, recorded as de la Noye in French, indicating that the bearer was from a place called La Noue (ultimately Gaulish meaning "wetland, swamp"). It has been used in honour of American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), whose middle name came from his mother's maiden name.
Delice f English (Rare)
Variant of Delicia.
Delicia f English (Rare)
Either from Latin deliciae "delight, pleasure" or a variant of the English word delicious. It has been used since the 17th century (rarely).
Delight f English (Rare)
Means simply "delight, happiness" from the English word.
Dell m & f English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived in a dell or valley.
Delmar m English
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French de la mare meaning "from the pond".
Delphia f English
Possibly from the name of the Greek city of Delphi, the site of an oracle of Apollo, which is possibly related to Greek δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". It was used in the play The Prophetess (1647), in which it belongs to the title prophetess.
Delroy m English (Rare)
Possibly an alteration of Leroy.
Delta f English
From the name of the fourth letter in the Greek alphabet, Δ. It is also the name for an island formed at the mouth of a river.
DeMarcus m African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Marcus.
DeMario m African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Mario.
Demelza f English (British, Rare)
From a Cornish place name meaning "fort of Maeldaf". It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the British television series Poldark, which was set in Cornwall.
Dena f English
Possibly a short form of names ending with dena. It has also been used as a variant of Deanna.
Dene m & f English (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Dean or Dena.
Denholm m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "valley island" in Old English.
Denton m English
From a surname, originally from a place name, which meant "valley town" in Old English.
Denver m & f English
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "Dane ford" in Old English. This is the name of the capital city of Colorado, which was named for the politician James W. Denver (1817-1892).
Denzel m English (Modern)
Possibly a variant of Denzil. This spelling of the name was popularized by American actor Denzel Washington (1954-), who was named after his father.
Denzil m English
From a surname that originally denoted a person from the manor of Denzell in Cornwall. This given name was borne by several members of the noble Holles family starting in the 16th century, notably the statesman Denzil Holles (1599-1680). They were named for John Denzel, an ancestor whose home was Denzell.
Deonte m African American (Modern)
Combination of Deon and the common phonetic suffix tay.
Derby m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was a variant of Darby.
Derren m English (Rare)
Variant of Darren.
Derryl m English (Rare)
Variant of Darrell.
Des m English
Short form of Desmond.
Deshaun m African American
Variant of Deshawn.
Deshawn m African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Shawn. It can be spelled DeShawn or Deshawn.
Desi m & f English
Diminutive of Desmond, Desiree and other names beginning with a similar sound. In the case of musician and actor Desi Arnaz (1917-1986) it was a diminutive of Desiderio.
Desmond m English, Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Deasmhumhain meaning "south Munster", referring to the region of Desmond in southern Ireland, formerly a kingdom. It can also come from the related surname (an Anglicized form of Ó Deasmhumhnaigh), which indicated a person who came from that region. A famous bearer is the South African archbishop and activist Desmond Tutu (1931-2021).
Destinee f English (Modern)
Variant of Destiny.
Destiny f English
Means simply "destiny, fate" from the English word, ultimately from Latin destinare "to determine", a derivative of stare "to stand". It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world only since the last half of the 20th century.
Detta f English (Rare)
Short form of names that end in detta.
Devan m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Devin.
Devante m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements da, von and tay. DeVanté Swing (1969-), stage name of Donald DeGrate Jr., was a singer with the group Jodeci. His name dramatically rose in popularity in the early 1990s when the group released their first successful songs, though it soon began to recede again.... [more]
Deven m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Devin.
Devereux m English (Rare)
From an English surname, of Norman French origin, meaning "from Evreux". Evreux is a town in France.
Devin m & f English
From a surname, either the Irish surname Devin 1 or the English surname Devin 2.
Devon m & f English
Variant of Devin. It may also be partly inspired by the name of the county of Devon in England, which got its name from the Dumnonii, a Celtic tribe.
Devontae m African American (Modern)
Variant of Devante.
Devonte m African American (Modern)
Variant of Devante.
Devyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Devin.
Dewayne m English
Variant of Duane, with the spelling altered due to the influence of Wayne. It can be spelled Dewayne or with a capitalized third letter as DeWayne.
Dex m English
Short form of Dexter.
Dexter m English
From an occupational surname meaning "one who dyes" in Old English. It also coincides with the Latin word dexter meaning "right-handed, skilled".
Deysi f Spanish (Latin American, Modern)
Spanish form of the English name Daisy.
Dezi m & f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Desmond and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Diamond f English (Rare), African American (Modern)
From the English word diamond for the clear colourless precious stone, the traditional birthstone of April. It is derived from Late Latin diamas, from Latin adamas, which is of Greek origin meaning "unconquerable, unbreakable".
Diantha f Dutch (Rare), English (Rare)
From dianthus, the name of a type of flower (ultimately from Greek meaning "heavenly flower").
Digby m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of an English town, itself derived from a combination of Old English dic "dyke, ditch" and Old Norse byr "farm, town".
Diggory m English (Rare)
Probably an Anglicized form of Degaré. Sir Degaré was the subject of a medieval poem set in Brittany. The name may mean "lost one" from French égaré.
Dina 2 f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English
Short form of names ending in dina, such as Bernardina or Ondina. As an English name, this can also be a variant of Deanna.
Dior f & m English (Modern)
From a French surname, possibly from doré meaning "golden". As a given name it has been inspired by the French luxury fashion house Dior, founded by the designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).
Dixie f English
From 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. Alternatively it may come from the term Mason-Dixon Line, the boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Dixon m English
From an English surname meaning "Dick 1's son".
Donovan m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Donndubháin, itself derived from the given name Donndubán. This name is borne by the Scottish folk musician Donovan Leitch (1946-), known simply as Donovan.
Doran m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Deoradháin, from the byname Deoradhán, derived from Irish deoradh meaning "exile, wanderer" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Doria f English (Rare)
Possibly a feminine form of Dorian or an elaboration of Dora.
Dorian m English, French, Romanian
The 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.
Doriane f French
French feminine form of Dorian.
Doriano m Italian
Italian form of Dorian.
Dorijan m Croatian
Croatian form of Dorian.
Dorin m Romanian
Romanian, possibly a form of Dorian or a diminutive of Teodor.
Dorina 1 f Romanian
Feminine form of Dorin.
Dorinel m Romanian
Diminutive of Dorin.
Doug m English
Short form of Douglas.
Douglas m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means "dark river", derived from Gaelic dubh "dark" and glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is Dùghlas or Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.
Douglass m English
Variant of Douglas.
Dove f English
From the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.
Doyle m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Dubhghaill, itself derived from the given name Dubhghall. A famous bearer of the surname was Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories.
Drake m English
From an English surname derived from the Old Norse byname Draki or the Old English byname Draca both meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greek δράκων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent". This name coincides with the unrelated English word drake meaning "male duck". A famous bearer is the Canadian actor and rapper Drake (1986-), who was born as Aubrey Drake Graham.
Dream f English (Modern)
From the English word dream referring to imaginary events seen in the mind while sleeping or a hope or wish.
Driscoll m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname that was an Anglicized form of Ó hEidirsceóil meaning "descendant of the messenger".
Driskoll m English (Rare)
Variant of Driscoll.
Drogo m English (Archaic)
Norman name, possibly derived from Gothic dragan meaning "to carry, to pull" or Old Saxon drog meaning "ghost, illusion". Alternatively, it could be related to the Slavic element dorgŭ meaning "precious, dear". The Normans introduced this name to England.