Boys Names Beginning With D

Daniel

Hebrew

"God is my judge"

Daniel is one of only a handful of male names that sounds both classic and modern, strong yet approachable, and popular but not cliched. It also has a solid Old Testament pedigree. The only real…

David

Hebrew

"beloved"

David is an enduring worldwide classic, used from ancient times to the present day. David is derived from the Hebrew name Dawid, believed to come from the root dôwd , meaning "beloved". The first…

Dylan

Welsh

"son of the sea"

Dylan still feels poetic and romantic after years of popularity. It still ranks highly on the charts, among the top boy names starting with D , so if you choose it, be aware that yours may not be the…

Dominic

Latin

"belonging to the lord"

Dominic comes from the Latin name Dominicus and is common in the Roman-Catholic community. In the past it has been given to boys born on Sunday—the word "Sunday" in languages including Spanish and…

Dakota

Place-name; Sioux

"friendly one"

An early and still one of the most popular unisex names , also a place name and name of a Native American people in the northern Mississippi valley, which makes it a controversial baby name choice.…

Dominick

Variation of Latin Dominic

"belonging to the Lord"

This is the second-to-the-original spelling of a name that's part Jersey Shore, part upper-crust British. Dominick gets you more directly to nickname Nick.

Duke

English rank of nobility

While John Wayne and Duke Ellington are worthy role models, the reason Duke is currently enjoying a revival and returned to the Top 1000 in 2013 as one of the year's fastest-rising boys’ names is…

Dustin

Norse

"brave warrior, or Thor's stone"

Dustin's popularity in recent years has probably had more due to its similarity to Justin than to idolization of Dustin Hoffman -- himself named after silent screen cowboy star Dustin Farnum -- who…

Dario

Italian variation of Darius

"possessing goodness"

More creative and artsy than Mario. Dario is starting to edge up the US popularity list after languishing near the bottom of the Top 1000 over the last four decades. Is that inspired by Dario's…

Darius

Latin from Greek and Persian

"possessing goodness"

Darius is a historic name via Emperor Darius the Great, a key figure in ancient Persian history, and several other Persian kings. His name today has an appealingly artistic image, which might well be…

Drake

English word name

"dragon; or, male duck"

A simple one-syllable name that has been on the popularity list since the mid-1980s, Drake is most associated today with the single-named rapper (born Aubrey). The name peaked at Number 197 in 2010…

Darian

English variation of Darius, Latin from Greek and Persian, or Darren, English from Irish

"possessing goodness; little great one"

The most popular spelling in a family of names including Darien and Darion, Darian has nonetheless been on the decline since it peaked in the 1990s.

Demetrius

Greek

"follower of Demeter"

Classical and Shakespearean name that may appeal if you like your names long, flowing and multicultural.

Darien

Spelling variation of Darian

"rich, kingly"

The Darien spelling, which relates to the posh Connecticut town, peaked at Number 393 in 1994 but more recently has been just hanging on at the bottom of the Top 1000. Still, a name with an appealing…

Dov

Hebrew

"bear"

Fierce meaning, gentle image. This name is very common in Israel, where an endearing pet form is Dubi.

Dior

French surname

"golden"

Dior was among the fastest-rising names for both girls and boys in the US in the early 2020s, but was the fastest- falling name for boys in the 2023 statistics. Its connection to French luxury…

Destin

Latin

"destiny"

Synthesized name in the Justin/Dustin mold, but has an unpleasant similarity to the diaper rash ointment called Desitin.

Draco

Greek from Latin

"dragon"

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

Dream

Word name

Possible middle name inspiration. Has been used as a first by musical couple Sole and Ginuwine, and basketball star Allen Iverson.

Deuce

English word name or nickname

"two"

Basketball's Jayson Tatum introduced this to the naming lexicon when he used it as a clever nickname for his son, Jayson Christoper Jr. It fits in with nicknames like Trey or Trip for boys who are…