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Irish Names that Start With D

  1. Darragh

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "oak tree"

    • Description:

      Also Anglicized as Dara and also spelled Daire in its native form, Darragh has an undeniably rugged appeal. It's used for both girls and boys in Ireland, but it's very popular in particular for boys.
  2. Dearbhla

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "daughter of the poet"

    • Description:

      Dearbhla along with its Anglicized form Dervla are both well-used in modern Ireland. There was a medieval Saint Dearbhla. The spelling Deirbhile is also used.
  3. Duffy

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "dark"

    • Description:

      This Irish surname packs a lot of attitude, projecting an image of spunk and sass. The Welsh singer Duffy, born Aimee Anne Duffy, is best known for her songs Mercy and Warwick Avenue.
  4. Donahue

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "dark fighter"

    • Description:

      This genial Irish surname feels much more current than Donald.
  5. Donal

    • Origin:

      Scottish variation of Donald

    • Meaning:

      "proud chief"

    • Description:

      Donal is, yes, just Donald with the final d cut off, but that somehow gives it a jauntier, fresher feel. Donal Logue is a Canadian actor and Donal Skehan is an Irish cookbook author.
  6. Donnelly

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "dark, brave one"

    • Description:

      Donnelly is among the more appealing Irish surname names, less well used than Donovan. Related options include the place name Donegal and the mythological god name Donegan.
  7. Dearbhail

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "true desire"

    • Description:

      This Irish Gaelic name would be more accessible in other cultures in its modern Dervla form.
  8. Daire

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "oak tree"

    • Description:

      Daire, along with brother names Dara and Darragh, is among the Top 100 boys' names in Ireland today. An ancient name with an inspirational meaning, pronunciation could prove confusing to Americans.
  9. Devin

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "poet"

    • Description:

      Used far more for boys with this spelling, but still has a nice impish Irish feel for a girl.
  10. Dermot

    • Origin:

      Irish, Anglicization of Diarmaid

    • Meaning:

      "free from envy"

    • Description:



      Dermot is an appealing, relatively undiscovered Irish mythological hero's name long popular in the Old Country, and imported into the American consciousness by actor Dermot Mulroney. We see it in the next Celtic wave following Connor and Liam.
  11. Dara

    • Origin:

      Irish, Persian, Punjabi, Khmer

    • Meaning:

      "oak tree, fruitful; wealthy; leader; star"

    • Description:

      Though Dara in the U.S. would be considered mainly a girls' name – the most recent count is 10 times as many girls given the name last year than boys – it's a boys' name in Ireland, where it's in the Top 100 along with variations Daire and Darragh.
  12. Derrik

    • Description:

      Derrik is a masculine name representing a spelling variation of Derek or Derrick. The name ultimately derives from the Old Germanic name Theodoric, meaning 'ruler of the people.' This particular spelling maintains the sound of the original while offering a slightly different visual presentation. Derrik gained some usage in English-speaking countries during the late 20th century, particularly in the United States, though it has always been less common than the standard Derek spelling. The name carries associations of strength and leadership from its etymological roots, while maintaining a friendly, approachable quality. Derrik tends to evoke images of a dependable, masculine individual. While not among the most popular male names, it offers parents a recognizable but somewhat less common alternative to the standard spelling.

  13. Doran

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "stranger, exile"

    • Description:

      Strong but gentle Irish last-name-first. Could bring to mind long-running rock group Duran Duran.
  14. Dooley

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "dark hero"

    • Description:

      A common Irish surname that's seldom heard as a first name, but has an appealing meaning.
  15. Dow

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "dark-haired"

    • Description:

      Compact, to-the-point surname name. Bear in mind the stock-market association - it may be a bit much with the last name Jones.
  16. Darragh

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "oak tree"

    • Description:

      A very popular name for boys in Ireland that's well-used throughout the British Isles, Darragh is also occasionally used for girls and certainly sounds feminine or at least unisex to the American ear. Simplified form Dara pushes it further toward the girls' side.
  17. Dillon

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "loyal"

    • Description:

      With both the Dillon and Dylan spellings, usage of this gender-neutral names runs about ten to one boys to girls. But Dylan is used about 20 times as often as Dillon for both genders. Which might be a vote in favor of Dillon, though for better or worse, this spellings distances the name from singer Bob and poet Thomas.
  18. Dublin

    • Origin:

      Irish place-name

    • Description:

      With Galway and Ireland in play as names (not to mention Shannon and Kerry), there's no reason this one can't work, too.
  19. Derry

    • Origin:

      Diminutive or Derek or Dermot or Irish place-name

    • Meaning:

      "like an oak"

    • Description:

      With the fashions for tree names, place names, and nickname names, Derry is a three-way winner.
  20. Dinsmore

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "dark moor"

    • Description:

      This Celtic surname is familiar but barely used at all as a first name.