Dashing D Names [boys]

The jazzy, ultra-cool Dexter, like most names with an "x," has a lot of energy and dynamism. Over the years, it's been attached to a number of diverse real and fictional personalities—C. K. Dexter Haven, the witty Cary Grant character in The Philadelphia Story; Dexter Green, the protagonist of the F. Scott Fitzgerald story "Winter Dreams"; great jazz tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon; the boy-genius protagonist of cartoon Dexter's Laboratory; and the most recent TV series Dexter based on the books by Jeff Lindsay, whose lead happens to be a genial but sociopathic serial killer.

Diago is sure to be confused with the more common Diego, the Spanish form of James.

Perfect example of a surname that would work well as a first.

A relatively common surname, Dixon would be an inventive way to honor an ancestral Richard or Dick, the X form a lot livelier than the Dickson spelling, just as Dix is a more modern short form than Dick; it would be right at home alongside Dax and Jax.

Doctor is an honorific used as a name, somewhat like names such as Bishop, King, and Princess. Banned in New Zealand, Doctor can lead to the kind of confusion you may feel would be only positive for your child -- a bona fide Doctor before he even gets to kindergarten. At its zenith in 1884, Doctor was used for 12 boys, but last year it didn't even clear the five-baby minimum to make it onto the Social Security extended list.

This old short form is more than a little dodgy now. In a recent film, Steve Carell's character is named Dodge, seen by one critic as symbolizing his risk-averse personality.

All Adolph variations are best avoided, though this takes some of the onus off.

Swaggering, cutting-edge choice equally appropriate for both genders. It's also very rare, given in the US in 2015 to only seven baby girls....and no recorded baby boys. Do you want to be the first?

Futuristic, in a 1930s kind of way.

The name of the great Italian Renaissance sculptor known as Donatello (but born DONATO), is one that could easily emigrate to modern America, just like sister DONATELLA.

For as long as we all shall live, Harry Potter's sneering nemesis.

Inspired by Brandon Lee's character in The Crow and Cuba Gooding Jr.'s in In the Shadows, this name, with its Wiccan feel, was used by a member of Linkin Park. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1995.

Dune is a name of several layers. It's a modern nature name, like Ocean, Bay and Reef, although rarer, conjuring up images of breezy sand dunes on summer beach days.

A two-syllable surname feel puts this name of an important English saint in the running -- though it could sound like a confused cross between Duncan and Dustin.

The iconic rock group Duran Duran named themselves after the villain of the classic sci-fi movie "Barbarella," Dr. Durand Durand. One bit of free advice: if your last name is Duran, don't name your son Duran.

The name of cities in Mexico and Colorado, Durango is a pleasant, fresh option from the atlas.