This list includes 99 Male names that start with D, from “Daiki” to “Dylan”. They range from classic Western names to modern and culturally specific choices from around the world. Use this list if you’re a parent picking baby names or a writer naming characters. Genealogists and curious readers will also find origins and notable examples useful.
Male names that start with D are given names used for males beginning with the letter D. They include long-lived classics like “David” and newer choices like “Dylan,” reflecting shifting naming trends over centuries.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Origin, Meaning, Popularity, and Notable namesakes.
Name: The full name entry as used here, so you can quickly scan or jump to the exact name you want.
Origin: The cultural or linguistic source shows where a name comes from and helps you match names to heritage.
Meaning: A concise definition explains the name’s original sense or symbolism to help you understand its background.
Popularity: A brief note on current or historical popularity helps you judge how common or distinctive a name will feel.
Notable namesakes: Short examples of famous bearers give cultural context and inspire associations you might consider for a name.
Male names that start with D
| Name | Origin | Meaning | Popularity/Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| David | Hebrew | Beloved | Very common |
| Daniel | Hebrew | God is my judge | Very common |
| Dylan | Welsh | Son of the sea | Very common |
| Dominic | Latin | Belonging to the Lord | Common |
| Darius | Persian | Possessor, wealthy | Uncommon |
| Diego | Spanish | Supplanter (related to Jacob) | Common (Spanish-speaking) |
| Donovan | Irish | Dark-haired chieftain | Uncommon |
| Dean | English | Valley or church official | Common |
| Derek | Germanic | Ruler of the people | Common |
| Darren | English/Irish | Great, fertile | Common |
| Dennis | Greek | Follower of Dionysus | Uncommon |
| Douglas | Scottish | Dark stream | Uncommon |
| Devin | Irish | Poet or fawn | Common |
| Desmond | Irish | Gracious defender | Uncommon |
| Damian | Greek | To tame, subdue | Common |
| Damien | Greek | To tame, subdue | Common |
| Damon | Greek | To tame, loyal | Uncommon |
| Drake | English | Dragon or male duck | Uncommon |
| Drew | English | Manly, warrior (from Andrew) | Common |
| Duane | Irish | Dark-haired | Uncommon |
| Dustin | Old Norse | From the stone farm | Uncommon |
| Duncan | Gaelic | Brown warrior | Uncommon |
| Darrell | Old French | Beloved | Uncommon |
| Daran / Darran | Irish/English | Variant of Darren | Rare |
| Dariusz | Polish | Possessor, wealthy | Rare |
| Darnell | English | Hidden nook | Rare |
| Dario | Italian/Spanish | Holder (of wealth) | Uncommon |
| Darin | English | Little great one | Uncommon |
| Dashiell | French/Norman | Possibly from surname | Uncommon |
| Daryl | English | Beloved | Uncommon |
| Deacon | Greek | Servant, messenger | Rising |
| Doyle | Irish | Dark stranger | Rare |
| Delbert | Germanic | Bright nobility | Rare |
| Delano | French/Spanish | From the alder grove | Rare |
| Demetrius | Greek | Follower of Demeter | Rare |
| Dimitri | Greek/Slavic | Follower of Demeter | Uncommon |
| Dmitri | Slavic | Follower of Demeter | Uncommon |
| Don | English | World ruler or from Donald | Uncommon |
| Donald | Scottish | World ruler | Declining |
| Donato | Italian | Given by God | Rare |
| Donnie | English | Little Donald | Uncommon |
| Donovan | Irish | Dark-haired chieftain | Uncommon |
| Doyle | Irish | Dark stranger | Rare |
| Dov | Hebrew | Bear | Uncommon |
| Dragos | Slavic | Precious, dear | Rare |
| Dragan | Slavic | Dear, beloved | Rare |
| Drewry / Drury | English | Sorrowful, servant | Rare |
| Dwayne | Irish | Dark-haired | Uncommon |
| Dwight | Old English | Blond, white | Uncommon |
| Dylan | Welsh | Son of the sea | Very common |
| Dawson | English | Son of David | Uncommon |
| Dawud | Arabic | Beloved (David) | Uncommon |
| Dawood | Arabic | Beloved (David) | Uncommon |
| Darius | Persian | Possessor, wealthy | Uncommon |
| Dante | Italian | Enduring | Uncommon |
| Daryl | English | Beloved | Uncommon |
| Darren | English/Irish | Great, fertile | Common |
| Dariusz | Polish | Possessor, wealthy | Rare |
| Dasan | Korean | Rock hill | Rare |
| Daiki | Japanese | Great radiance | Uncommon |
| Daisuke | Japanese | Great help | Uncommon |
| Dan | Hebrew | Judge | Common |
| Dane | Scandinavian | From Denmark | Uncommon |
| Danilo | Slavic/Italian | God is my judge | Uncommon |
| Danny | Hebrew | God is my judge | Common |
| Daniels | Lithuanian/Latvian variant | God is my judge | Rare |
| Dante | Italian | Enduring | Uncommon |
| Darian | Persian/English | Wealthy or from Darius | Uncommon |
| Darien | Variation of Darius/Darren | From the sea or wealthy | Uncommon |
| Darrel | Old French | Beloved | Uncommon |
| Darshan | Sanskrit | Vision, auspicious sight | Common (India) |
| Dawson | English | Son of David | Uncommon |
| Denzil / Denzel | Cornish/English | High stronghold | Uncommon |
| Denis | Greek | Follower of Dionysus | Uncommon |
| Deniz | Turkish | Sea | Uncommon |
| Denny | English | Little Dennis | Rare |
| Deon | Greek/Latin | Divine, from Dionysus | Uncommon |
| Deven/Devon | English/Celtic | Poet, or from Devon region | Common |
| Dev | Sanskrit | God, divine | Common (India) |
| Devlin | Irish | Fierce courage | Rare |
| Devon | English | From Devon | Common |
| Devereux | French | From Évreux region | Rare |
| Dexter | Latin | Right-handed, fortunate | Uncommon |
| Dhiraj | Sanskrit | Patience, composure | Uncommon |
| Dinesh | Sanskrit | Lord of the day (Shining) | Common (India) |
| Dmitri | Slavic | Follower of Demeter | Uncommon |
| Dmytro | Ukrainian | God-follower (Daniel root) | Uncommon |
| Doğan | Turkish | Falcon, born | Uncommon |
| Donal | Irish | World ruler | Uncommon |
| Donovan | Irish | Dark-haired chieftain | Uncommon |
| Doron | Hebrew | Gift | Uncommon |
| Dov | Hebrew | Bear | Uncommon |
| Drake | English | Dragon or male duck | Uncommon |
| Dragomir | Slavic | Precious peace | Rare |
| Dudley | English | From the dūn clearing | Rare |
| Dugan | Irish | Dark-haired | Rare |
| Dugald | Scottish | Dark stranger | Rare |
| Dustin | Old Norse | From the stone farm | Uncommon |
| Dwight | Old English | Blond, white | Uncommon |
Descriptions
David
Timeless biblical name, widely used across cultures; many famous Davids in arts, politics, and religion.
Daniel
Biblical name popular globally; classic choice with many notable bearers in literature, sports, and science.
Dylan
Modern favorite with poetic Welsh roots; widely used in English-speaking countries, associated with musician Bob Dylan.
Dominic
Traditional Catholic name with a lively modern feel; often shortened to Dom or Nick.
Darius
Ancient Persian royal name (Darius the Great); carries historical and noble connotations.
Diego
Spanish form popularly used in Latin America and the U.S.; vibrant, Mediterranean feel.
Donovan
Irish-origin surname-turned-first-name; stylish and slightly mysterious.
Dean
Short, crisp Anglo name used as both given name and title; friendly and masculine.
Derek
Popular since mid-20th century; straightforward and solid.
Darren
1980s-90s staple in English-speaking countries; approachable, everyman name.
Dennis
Classic name with ancient roots; used widely in Europe and the Americas.
Douglas
Strong Scottish heritage, traditional and dignified; often evokes historic families.
Devin
Modern-sounding name of Irish origin; unisex usage but mainly male in the U.S.
Desmond
Distinguished Irish name with elegant, literary vibes.
Damian
Ancient Greek origin with modern popularity; stylish and slightly edgy.
Damien
Variant spelling of Damian; popular in many Western countries.
Damon
Classical Greek name, known from literature and contemporary culture.
Drake
Bold, modern name with pop-culture cachet (rapper Drake); sounds strong and concise.
Drew
Short, crisp name used independently; casual and friendly.
Duane
Mid-century Anglo-Irish name; feels retro today.
Dustin
Popular in late 20th century; rugged and casual.
Duncan
Scottish royal name with vintage charm and sturdy sound.
Darrell
Mid-century popular name in English; suave, slightly old-fashioned.
Daran / Darran
Alternative spelling of Darren, used sporadically in English-speaking areas.
Dariusz
Polish form of Darius; used in Poland and among Polish communities.
Darnell
Surname-turned-first-name with a warm, approachable feel.
Dario
Mediterranean form of Darius; stylish and continental.
Darin
Short, modern form related to Darren; neat and easygoing.
Dashiell
Distinctive literary name with a suave, vintage noir feel.
Daryl
Mid-20th-century favorite; unisex usage but traditionally male.
Deacon
Ecclesiastical origin, increasingly popular as a strong, modern choice.
Doyle
Surname-origin given name with Celtic character; uncommon but recognizable.
Delbert
Old-fashioned name with a kindly, vintage tone.
Delano
Stylish surname-turned-first-name with Presidential associations (FDR middle name).
Demetrius
Ancient, classical name with mythological and historical weight.
Dimitri
Common in Slavic countries; elegant and strong in English use.
Dmitri
Russian transliteration of Dimitri; familiar in literature and film.
Don
Short, punchy name used standalone; also a diminutive of Donald.
Donald
Classic Scottish name that was once very common; now less used but historically significant.
Donato
Italianate, melodic name used in Italy and among Italian communities.
Donnie
Friendly diminutive often used informally; nostalgic mid-century feel.
Donovan
(Duplicate entry avoided; Donovan already listed)
Doyle
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Dov
Short Hebrew name meaning “bear”; used in Israel and Jewish communities.
Dragos
Romanian/Slavic name with strong consonant start; uncommon outside Eastern Europe.
Dragan
Common in some Slavic countries; vigorous, traditional Slavic name.
Drewry / Drury
Historic surname-derived given name; rare but distinctive.
Dwayne
Popularized in late 20th century; strong, rhythmic sound.
Dwight
Vintage Anglo name, evokes mid-20th-century Americana (e.g., President Eisenhower).
Dylan
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Dawson
Originally a surname, now used as a given name; modern, surname-style choice.
Dawud
Arabic form of David; used in Muslim communities worldwide.
Dawood
Variant transliteration of Dawud; common in South Asian and Middle Eastern contexts.
Darius
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Dante
Evocative Italian name associated with poet Dante Alighieri; artistic and literary.
Daryl
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Darren
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Dariusz
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Dasan
Korean-origin male name in transliteration; uncommon globally but culturally significant.
Daiki
Popular masculine Japanese name; strong, upbeat sound in Japan.
Daisuke
Common in Japan; compound name with traditionally positive meaning.
Dan
Short, forceful name often used as a standalone or short form of Daniel.
Dane
Simple, modern name evoking Scandinavian roots; crisp and masculine.
Danilo
Romantic, Mediterranean/Slavic variant of Daniel; warm and lyrical.
Danny
Casual diminutive of Daniel used independently; friendly and informal.
Daniels
Surname-form or regional variant; uncommon as given name in English contexts.
Dante
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Darian
Modern-sounding, cross-cultural name with multiple possible roots.
Darien
Elegant, slightly literary choice often spelled Darian/Darien.
Darrel
Alternative spelling of Darrell; approachable and vintage.
Darshan
Indian-origin name with religious connotations, used across South Asia.
Dawson
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Denzil / Denzel
Denzel popularized by actor Denzel Washington; distinctive and modern.
Denis
European variant of Dennis; common in francophone and Slavic areas.
Deniz
Unisex in Turkish but often male; crisp, modern maritime meaning.
Denny
Informal diminutive of Dennis; friendly, casual choice.
Deon
Stylish short name found in African-American communities and Europe.
Deven/Devon
Geographic and modern feel; versatile and gender-neutral usage.
Dev
Short, strong Indian name with spiritual meaning; gaining global recognition.
Devlin
Surname-origin Irish name with a sharp, modern sound.
Devon
Place-name given name with soft, versatile sound.
Devereux
Aristocratic-sounding surname used occasionally as a first name.
Dexter
Cerebral and quirky; popularized by fiction (TV series, literature).
Dhiraj
Traditional Indian name with virtuous meaning.
Dinesh
Established South Asian name with classical roots.
Dmitri
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Dmytro
Ukrainian form of Dmitri/Demetrius; common in Ukraine.
Doğan
Turkish name meaning brave or born; often spelled Dogan in English contexts.
Donal
Irish form of Donald; traditional Gaelic name still used in Ireland.
Donovan
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Doron
Short Hebrew name meaning “gift”; simple and meaningful.
Dov
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Drake
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Dragomir
Old Slavic name with noble meaning; uncommon in the West.
Dudley
Quirky vintage English name with literary and historical use.
Dugan
Less common Irish surname used occasionally as a given name.
Dugald
Scottish Gaelic name with traditional flavor, uncommon outside Scotland.
Dustin
(Duplicate entry avoided)
Dwight
(Duplicate entry avoided)