Top Baby Girl Names That Start With D | Pampers (2023)

Choosing a name for your baby is a fun and memorable part of being a parent. If you’re looking for popular, modern, pretty, cute, or unique baby girl names that start with D, we’ve got you covered with 120 options! Whether you have D names in your family, love the sound these monikers make, or just need some inspiration as you search, there are plenty of beautiful choices for baby girls.

Popular and Modern Baby Girl Names Starting With D

If you’re looking for popular or modern baby girl names starting with D, there are quite a few trendy options. Below were the 10 most popular D names for girls in 2020:

1. Delilah. Meaning “delicate,” this was the most popular baby girl name starting with D in the United States in 2020, and can be shortened to a pretty nickname, Lila. In the Bible, Delilah was Samson’s lover and her name is now associated with women’s strength.

2. Daisy. Floral names are quite popular for girls! Daisy is a flower, of course, but the name also means “day eye” in Old English. It first appeared as a given name in the nineteenth century.

3. Daniela. This name is simply the feminine form of Daniel, which is a Hebrew name meaning “God is my judge.”

4. Diana. The name Diana is actually related to the word dyeus (the Greek word for Zeus, the highest of the gods). Diana was the Roman goddess of the moon, forests, hunting, and childbirth. The singer Diana Ross is a famous bearer of this name.

5. Dakota. As a unisex and gender-neutral name, Dakota comes from the Native American people originating from the present-day northern Mississippi Valley, roughly North and South Dakota. In the Dakota language, the name means “allies, friends.”

6. Delaney. Despite being historical Irish and English surnames, this modern baby girls’ name starting with D first entered the scene in the United States in the 1990s. In English it means “from the alder grove,” and in Irish it means “dark, black” and “defiance.”

7. Demi. Demi is an alternative spelling of the ancient Greek name Dimi, short for Dimitra which relates to the goddess Demeter. Demi is basically Mother Earth, as de means “earth” and meter means “mother.” You may recognize the name from the actress Demi Moore.

8. Destiny. The meaning behind this popular girls’ name that starts with D is rather simple to decipher. Meaning “destiny, fate,” it comes from the Latin word destinare, “to determine.” It was first used as a given name in the United States in the 1970s.

9. Dahlia. The dahlia flower was named for the Swedish botanist, Anders Dahl. Both a popular and modern name starting with the letter D, this given name for baby girls only entered the scene in the United States in 2006.

10. Daleyza. If you like the name Dahlia and have Mexican roots (and want a Mexican baby name or one from a Latin American country), you might consider this version. Daleyza is the Spanish word for dahlia, which is the national flower of Mexico.

For more popular D names for girls, check out our Baby Name Generator below! You can filter and sort through thousands of options to find the perfect match for your little one:

Unique Baby Girl Names Starting With D

Perhaps you don’t want to follow the trends and prefer a unique name starting with D for your baby girl. Luckily, you have many choices, from short to long, strong to sweet, and even some fun original meanings. Keep reading for some of the best unique baby girls names!

11. Daffodil. Although also the name of the yellow springtime flower, the word has Dutch origins. De affodil means “the asphodel,” which is the name for a lily flower.

12. Dale. Although it’s more commonly a baby boy name starting with D, Dale has been used for girls since the nineteenth century. It was a place name referring to someone who lived near a dale or valley.

13. Daley. Another unique unisex name starting with D, Daley is quite rare for baby girls. It comes from an Irish surname meaning “descendant of Dálach” with Dálach meaning “assembly” in Gaelic.

14. Dallas. Although you might assume this is a modern baby girl name starting with D, referring to the city in Texas, the name Dallas is actually quite unique and historical. In Old English, it means “valley house” and in Scottish Gaelic, it means “meadow dwelling.”

15. Danette. This unique name is a feminine diminutive of Daniel, a biblical name meaning “God is my judge.”

16. Danita. Similarly, Danita is also a feminine diminutive of Daniel, so it has the same meaning as Danette. These two names are excellent unique alternatives to the more popular name Daniela.

17. Darcy. Perhaps you recognize this name with the character Fitzwilliam Darcy from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. However, this D letter name is more commonly used as a female name.

18. Dawn. Although once a popular name, Dawn is now one of the more unique girls’ names that starts with the letter D. It hasn’t been commonly used in the United States since the 1990s. Of course, it simply means “dawn.”

19. Deirdre. As one of the most unique girl names starting with the letter D, Deirdre comes from Irish folklore. But it was William Butler Yeats who pushed the name into popularity, after publishing Deirdre in the early twentieth century.

20. Delia. This unique name has two origins. Delia either means “of Delos,” as in someone from the Greek island of Delos, or is the short form of the names Adelia and Bedelia (the perfect names for twins!). Adelia means “noble” and Bedelia comes from the Irish name Bridget, meaning “exalted one.”

21. Delice. As one of the rarest female names that start with D, Delice comes from the Latin word deliciae, meaning “delight, pleasure.”

22. Delphia. If you have Greek heritage, Delphia might be a good choice for you! Delphia is in reference to the ancient city of Delphi, where Apollo recited is famous oracle.

23. Delta. Another Greek reference, Delta is simply one of the letters of the Greek alphabet. In English, however, the word is used for the land that forms at the mouth of a river.

24. Dinah. Meaning “judged,” Dinah is a Hebrew and biblical name. Dinah was the daughter of Jacob and Leah in the Old Testament.

25. Dionne. This unique name is the feminine form of Dion, which is short for Dionysius, a.k.a. Zeus. As you may already know, Zeus was the highest of all Greek gods and his name means “sky” or “shine.”

26. Devin. Because it’s more popular for boys, Devin is a unique girls’ name starting with D. As an English surname, it means “divine,” and as an Irish surname, it means “fawn” or “dark, black.”

27. Diamond. The word diamond refers to the precious stone, which is also April’s birthstone. However, it originates from a Greek word meaning “invincible” or “untamed.”

28. Diantha. It might not be as obvious as Dahlia or Daisy, but Diantha is also a floral name. From the word dianthus, it refers to a type of flower, but more distinctly means “heavenly flower” in Greek.

29. Docia. Another Greek name, Docia is a diminutive of Theodosia, the feminine version of Theodosius, which means “giving to God.”

30. Doretta. If you like Italian names, Doretta is the Italian version of Dora, which can be short for Dorothy, Theodora, or Isidora. In Greek, all those names mean “gift of God,” but you might recognize Dorothy specifically from the character in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

31. Doria. This baby girls’ name starting with D has a unique origin and meaning. It’s the feminine version of Dorian, as in the novel by Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray. The story is about a man who stays young while his portrait ages, but many believe Wilde borrowed the name from the Dorians, an ancient Greek tribe.

32. Dorrit. Like Doretta, Dorrit is also a diminutive of Dorothy, a.k.a. Dorothea. What makes it unique is that it’s the Danish version of Dorothy, which means “gift of God.”

33. Dosia. As a Polish name, Dosia can be a diminutive of either Teodozja (Theodosia) or Dorota (Dorothea). Therefore, Dosia means “gift of God.”

34. Dreda. If you want a truly rare and unique baby girl name starting with D, Dreda could be it! It’s short for the archaic name Etheldreda, which is the Middle English version of the medieval name, Æðelþryð. This unique moniker combines two elements that mean “noble” and “strength.”

35. Dua. Truly unique, Dua (meaning “prayer” in Arabic) wasn’t used as a given name until 2018. Perhaps the rise of the pop singer Dua Lipa is the reason!

36. Duana. As the feminine form of Duane, Duana comes from a Gaelic surname meaning “dark, black.”

37. Dusty. Since this name comes from Dustin, you might not think of Dusty as a girls’ name. However, it was used as a female name sparingly in the 1970s. It has Old Norse origins, and the name means “Thor’s stone.”

Choosing a baby name can be fun yet also overwhelming. Watch this video for some exciting facts that could help you settle on the perfect name for your baby girl!

Classic Baby Girl Names Starting With D

Some parents prefer the classics. If either is the case for you, you might consider a more old-fashioned, timeless moniker from a different era.

38. Darby. As a place name, Darby originates from the town of Derby and means “deer town” in Old Norse.

39. Darla. If you like the old-fashioned name Darlene but want a shorter and slightly more unique version, consider Darla.

40. Darlene. Not only is this a classic old-fashioned name, it also has a sweet meaning. Darlene simply combines the word “darling” with the common girls’ name suffix -lene. It was quite popular in the mid-twentieth century.

41. Daryl. In the United States, the name Daryl had a short stint as a women’s name that starts with D, specifically in the 1950s. The popular actress Daryl Hannah bears the name, but it originates from the moniker Darrell, meaning someone from Airelle, France.

42. Deanna. This old-fashioned classic has two potential origins. Deanna is either a variant of Diana, which as you may remember is the Roman goddess of the moon, forest, hunting, and childbirth. Or, the name is the feminine form of Dean, which either means “valley,” refers to someone from Denmark, or is an occupational name for a dean.

43. Deborah. As an ancient Hebrew name, Deborah means “bee.” If you’re searching for biblical baby names, Deborah is a heroine in the Book of Judges, forming an army to help the Israelites.

44. Della. For baby girl names starting with D, Della is an interesting option. It’s a diminutive of either Adela or Adelaide but shares the meaning “noble” either way. Adela was a Frankish princess and the name of William the Great’s daughter, whereas Saint Adelaide was the wife of Otto the Great, a holy Roman emperor.

45. Delma. If you have Irish heritage, you might like the old-fashioned name Delma. It originates from Fidelma, the Latinized version of Feidelm. Saint Feidelm and her sister were followers of Saint Patrick, and Feidelm was also the daughter of the King of Ulster. The name means “beauty” or “ever good.”

46. Denise. This classic female name that starts with D is the feminine version of Denis, which eventually connects back to the Greek word Dios meaning “god,” specifically Zeus, the highest of gods. Therefore, Denise means “sky” or “shine.”

47. Dolores. As both and English and Spanish name, Dolores was quite popular in the 1920s and 1930s. The name comes from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, María de los Dolores, meaning “Mary of Sorrows.”

48. Donna. With two meanings, Donna is either the Italian word for “lady” or the feminine version of Donald, which means “ruler of the world.”

49. Dorcas. This biblical name comes from the Greek word dorkas meaning “gazelle.” In the Bible, it’s also the Greek translation of the name Tabitha with the same meaning.

50. Doreen. For classic D letter names for girls, Doreen has a fun origin story! It’s believed to have been created by the author Edna Lyall for her novel Doreen, published in the late-nineteenth century. But since it combines the name Dora with the suffix -een, it could also mean “gift of God.” There are many fun nicknames for Doreen, including Dottie, Dolly, Dee, and Dory.

51. Doris. In Ancient Greece, the Dorians were a tribe from the twelfth-century BCE, so the name Doris simply referred to a Dorian woman. However, Doris was also a sea nymph in Greek mythology. You may recognize the name from the legendary actress Doris Day.

52. Dorothea. You’ve seen many diminutives of this name already, but Dorothea is a classic old-fashioned name for girls that stands on its own and means “gift of God.” Two important saints bore this name: a fourth-century martyr and the fourteenth-century patron saint of Prussia.

53. Duda. Both a classic and a cute option, this baby girls’ name starting with D is a diminutive of Eduarda, the Portuguese feminine version of Edward. Edward means “rich guard.”

54. Dulcie. In Latin, dulcis means “sweet,” so your little Dulcie can be a sweet girl with a classic name!

55. Dylan. This old-fashioned name originates from Welsh and means “great tide,” but it only recently made waves as a name for girls (no pun intended).

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Cute and Pretty Baby Girl Names Starting With D

What are pretty names that start with D for baby girls? Read on for options with sweet, cute, and beautiful sounds and meanings.

56. Dalila. Perhaps you like the name Delilah from above but want to put a pretty spin on it. In that case, consider the variant spelling Dalila. You’ll find this spelling predominantly in French, Italian, Spanish, and Slavic languages.

57. Danae. This name comes from Greek mythology and is sometimes spelled Danaë. It’s a word used by Homer to designate the Greeks, and the name of King Acrisius’ daughter.

58. Danica. Although the English-speaking world usually pronounces this name as DAN-ee-kah, it’s a Slavic name, so it’s traditionally pronounced DAH-neet-sa. It has quite a cute and pretty origin, as the word means “morning star” (a.k.a. Venus) in Slavic languages.

59. Danielle. Similar to Daniela from above, Danielle is also a feminine version of Daniel, meaning “God is my judge.” It’s one of the more pretty-sounding baby girl names starting with D.

60. Daphne. With a pretty sound to it, Daphne means “laurel.” In Greek mythology, Daphne was a forest nymph and she turned into a laurel tree. It’s a great option if you’re looking for nature-inspired names.

61. Daria. This pretty baby girl name starting with D has a sweet meaning: “possessing goodness.” It’s not a very common name in the United States, but you’ll find it in many European countries with other spellings, such as Darja and Darya.

62. Davina. The name Davina, which originated in Scotland, is a feminine form of David, which has a very cute meaning as “beloved.”

63. Dayana. You can spell this name with one or two Ns: Dayana or Dayanna. It’s another form of Diana, typically used in Latin America. If you’re reading this article in full, you may remember that Diana relates to Zeus, the highest of Greek gods, and means “sky” or “shine.”

64. Dayanara. You can elaborate Dayana with Dayanara, another Latin American name for Diana. A famous bearer of the name is Dayanara Torres, an actress, singer, writer, and former Miss Universe from Puerto Rico.

65. Debi. With a sweet sound at the end, Debi makes for a very cute baby girl name starting with D. It’s a diminutive of Deborah, which means “bee.” You could also spell it as Debby.

66. Delight. Your daughter is surely a “delight,” so perhaps you’d like to give her this cute and unique name!

67. Delphine. As a French name, Delphine is a form of Delphina, which refers to the ancient Greek city of Delphi. The Greek word delphys also means “womb.”

68. Derby. This cute name is simply a variant of Darby, as Derby means “deer town” in Old Norse.

69. Desirae. As an alternative spelling for the name Desiree, this pretty girls’ name starting with D comes from a French word meaning “desired” or “wished.” This originates from the Latin word desideratum for “desired.”

70. Devi. In Sanskrit, Devi means “goddess.” With such a beautiful and powerful meaning, it’s certainly one of the most interesting baby girl names starting with D! Devi is the Hindu mother goddess who can mimic the form of all other goddesses. For a cute diminutive, try Devika.

71. Dior. In French, the name Dior means “golden.” But if you’re a fashionista, this name also relates to the luxury French fashion brand by Christian Dior.

72. Dodie. Dorothy and Dorothea are a common name in this list, and Dodie is yet another diminutive. And with such a sweet meaning (“gift of God”), Dodie is quite the cute baby girl name starting with D.

73. Dolly. Although it’s another diminutive of Dorothea, Dolly could also be a nickname for Dolores. Or, if you’re the legendary Dolly Parton, the name can easily stand on its own! Dorothea means “gift of God” and Dolores is the Spanish title for the Virgin Mary, María de los Dolores, meaning "Mary of Sorrows.”

74. Dorla. This name is a cute combination of Dora and Darla! Dora relates to the names Dorothea, Theodora, and Isidora, which all mean “gift of God,” whereas Darla relates to Darlene, meaning “darling.”

75. Dova. The feminine version of the Hebrew boys’ name Dov, Dova simply means “bear.”

76. Dove. For both a pretty and cute baby girl name starting with D, consider Dove. As you may already know, dove is a type of white bird and the international symbol of peace. It’s also quite unique, as it hasn’t been used as a girls’ name since the late-nineteenth century.

77. Drea. As the short form for Andrea, Drea (pronounced DRAY-ah) has a pretty sound to it. Andrea is the feminine version of Andrew, which means “man.”

78. Drew. Similar to Drea, Drew is also short form for Andrew, so it, too, means “man.” This unisex name is quite common in the United States, but probably the most famous female bearer is the actress Drew Barrymore.

79. Drina. This pretty and rare name is a diminutive of Alexandrina (an elaborated form of Alexandra) and Adriana. Alexandra was Queen Victoria’s first name and means “to defend man.” Adriana comes from the Roman name Hadrian, meaning “from Hadria.”

80. Dulcibella. If you liked the unique name Dulcie from above, you may enjoy the next two names! Dulcibella combines dulcie (“sweet”) with bella (“beautiful”). The medieval spelling of this rare name was Dowsabel.

81. Dulcinea. Although it also comes from the name Dulcie, meaning “sweet,” Dulcinea is a literary name. She was the love interest in Miguel de Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote.

Short Baby Girl Names That Start With D

Short names are great on their own, but many serve as cute or fun nicknames. Shorter monikers also work well for middle names for girls. And sometimes, these shorter names actually possess quite extensive meanings!

82. Dana. Despite being a short name, Dana has quite a few different origins: the feminine form of Daniel, meaning “God is my judge;” the feminine form of Dan, meaning “he judged;” a word to describe someone from Denmark; a Persian word meaning “wise”; or, lastly, the short form for names ending in -dana, like Bogdana, Gordana, or Yordana.

83. Dani. This name is a great option for D letter names for girls if you prefer the shorter version of Danielle or Daniela. Both are a form of Daniel, meaning “God is my judge.”

84. Dara. This short baby girl name starting with D has three meanings: “son of oak” in Irish Gaelic, “star” in Sanskrit, or “wealthy” in Persian.

85. Deb. As a short form of Deborah, Deb and Debi (from above) are both cute versions of this biblical name, meaning “bee.”

86. Dee. Although this name is in reference to the River Dee in Scotland, Dee is also a nickname for any girl names that start with D.

87. Dell. A unisex name used more commonly in the late-nineteenth century, Dell is from the surname for anyone living in a dell or valley.

88. Dena. Pronounced DEE-na, this is the short form of Deanna, which connects to the name Diana and, therefore, Zeus, the highest of Greek gods whose name means “sky” or “shine.”

89. Detta. This short and sweet nickname is for names ending in -detta, such as Benedetta (“blessed”), Odetta (“fortune”), and Bernardetta (“brave”).

90. Di. Pronounced like the word dye, you may recognize this variant of the name Diana from Princess Di, a.k.a. Diana, Princess of Wales. Diana originates from the Greek word for Zeus, the highest of the gods. His name means “sky” or “shine,” as does the name Diana and its different forms.

91. Dia. Although short and simple, the name Dia has a lot of history. In Greek mythology, Dia means “heavenly” or “divine,” but when spelled Día, it’s the Spanish word for “day.” As a variant of the name Dea, though, it can also mean “goddess.”

92. Didi. Pronounced dee-dee, Didi is a diminutive of Dieter, a German name for boys that means “warrior of the people.”

93. Doe. In English, a female deer is called a doe, but the name can also be a diminutive of Dorothea, meaning “gift of God.”

94. Doll. Like the name Dolly, Doll is also a diminutive of Dorothea, and therefore means “gift of God.” However, the Germanic surname Doll means “strong.”

95. Dona. As a variant spelling of Donna, this short name is either the Italian word for “lady” or the feminine form of Donald, meaning “ruler of the world.”

96. Dora. You can find this cute and short girls’ name that starts with D all over Europe, as it originates from Dorothy (Dorothea), Theodora, or Isidora, which all mean “gift of God.”

97. Dory. If you enjoyed the animated film Finding Nemo, you may like this cute and short name of the character Dory. The moniker is either short for Dorothy or Doris, which mean “gift of God” and “Dorian woman,” respectively.

98. Dot. If a girl has a name that starts with the letter D, is she secretly named Dorothy?! Because, like many names on this list, Dot is also a diminutive of Dorothea, which—you guessed it—means “gift of God.”

99. Dru. This short girls’ name can be a variant spelling of Drew (which relates to Andrew, meaning “man”), or the short form of the rare biblical name Drusilla, which means “strong.”

100. Duna. Pronounced DOO-nah, this is the Hungarian word for the Danube River, which flows from Germany to the Black Sea.

International Baby Girl Names That Start With D

Whether you hail from a specific country, speak a particular language, or have ancestry in a distinct culture, choosing an international baby name might appeal to you. There are plenty of D names for girls that come from different parts of the world, and some have the sweetest meanings.

101. Da. As this traditional Chinese name is based on a common word, it has several different meanings depending on the spelling. If spelled dá, it means “achieve” or “intelligent,” whereas the spelling dà means “big,” “vast,” or “high.”

102. Dagmar. This Old Norse name was once popular for girls in countries like Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands, and was still used in Czechia up to the early 2000s. It combines the elements dagr, meaning “day,” and mær, meaning “maid.” The Bohemian wife of the Danish king Valdemar II bore this name.

103. Dagny. Another Nordic name, Dagny is pronounced DAWNG-nuy and means “new day.”

104. Dalma. This Hungarian name was created by the famous poet Mihály Vörösmarty, and several other writers subsequently adopted the name for their characters.

105. Danai. In the Shona language of southern Africa, Danai means “call, summon.”

106. Dar. As a Hebrew word, the name Dar means “mother of pearl” or “nacre,” which is the material usually found inside shells.

107. Delara. Combining the Persian words del and ara, the name Delara means “adorning the heart.”

108. Dervla. The Irish name Dervla is the anglicized version of both Dearbháil and Deirbhile, which mean “daughter of a poet.”

109. Desta. In the eastern African language Amharic, Desta means “joy.”

110. Dietlinde. Originating from the Germanic name Theudelinda, Dietlinde is pronounced deet-LIN-da and means “tender people.”

111. Dilys. This simple Welsh name means “genuine,” making it a perfectly sweet D letter name for your little girl. Dilys is pronounced DEE-lees.

112. Dina. In Arabic, the name Dina (pronounced DEE-nah) means “religion,” but it also has Italian origins as a nickname for those with -dina names, such as Ondina or Bernardina.

113. Dipa. Pronounced dee-PA, you can give this sweet name to the little light of your life, as it means “light” in Sanskrit.

114. Dita. If you like the name Judith in English (Judita in Slavic languages), this is the perfect international short form, pronounced DEET-ah.

115. Diyar. In Kurdish, this unisex name means “visible, clear.”

116. Doina. As perhaps one of the sweetest international girl names that starts with D, this Romanian moniker means “folk song.” It’s pronounced DOY-nah

117. Dorji. Pronounced like the name Dory, Dorji means “diamond” in Tibetan.

118. Dulce. Similar to Dulcie above, Dulce is the Spanish word for “sweet” and “candy.”

119. Durga. If you’re looking for strong names starting with D for your baby girl, Durga is a great option. In Sanskrit, the name is pronounced DOOR-gah and means “unattainable.” Durga was the Hindu warrior goddess.

120. Duri. Although this is a D letter name for girls, it’s actually pronounced TOO-ree and means “two” in Korean.

The Bottom Line

With so many potential baby names, it can be a challenge to decide on the perfect moniker for your little girl. We hope this list helped offer some inspiration if you’re looking for baby girl names starting with D! Keep the alphabet fun going with the next letter and consider some girl names that start with E.

Another way to expand your options is to read up on other themes, such as monikers from different languages, like Spanish girl names or Japanese girl names. Whatever you decide, remember that it’s a name that your sweet baby will have for her entire life, so go with your gut and have a little fun along the way!