Irish Names Starting with D

Meaning “fruitful, bountiful.” In legend, Daireann, a beautiful young woman, fell in love with Fionn Mac Cool, a man with many wives.

Rare in Ireland: fewer than three baby girls a year get the name.

Darcy has two separate roots. In Ireland it is often an anglicized form of the surname Ó Dorchaidhe, “descendant of Dorchaidhe,” a personal name meaning “dark man,” from dorcha “dark.”

No. 247 for girls in Ireland in 2025, with 17 baby girls.

Darina in Irish is Daireann, pronounced DAR-rawn, meaning “fruitful, bountiful.”

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2017.

The closest Irish name to Davina is Daithi, a boy’s name meaning “swiftness, nimbleness.” Daithi is said DAH-hee.

No. 885 for girls in Ireland in 2025, with 3 baby girls.

Dearbháil comes from the Old Irish Derbáil, usually explained as der “daughter” and Fál, an ancient poetic name for Ireland, so “daughter of Fál” or “daughter of Ireland.”

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2011.

Dechtire, also written Deichtine or Deichtire, is the name of the mother of the hero Cú Chulainn in Irish legend. The meaning of the name is not known.

Rare in Ireland: fewer than three baby girls a year get the name.

Deirdre comes from Derdriu, the Old Irish name of the tragic heroine of the Ulster Cycle of legends, remembered as Deirdre of the Sorrows.

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2019.

Dervla in Irish is Dearbhail, pronounced DARE-voll, meaning “daughter of Fal.”

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2017.

Daimhín is an old Irish name, a diminutive of damh, which in Old Irish meant “ox” or “stag.” The usual gloss “little deer” is close, but “little stag” is more exact.

No. 829 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 3 baby boys.

Daire (Dáire) is an old Irish name usually explained as “fruitful, fertile.”

No. 88 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 65 baby boys.

Daithi, written Daithí or Dáithí in Irish, is an old Irish name meaning “swiftness, nimbleness.”

No. 59 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 94 baby boys.

Dálaigh comes from the surname Ó Dálaigh, “descendant of Dálach.” Dálach is connected with dáil, “assembly, meeting,” and is explained as “one who frequents assemblies,” hence a counselor.

Rare in Ireland: fewer than three baby boys a year get the name.

Daniel in Irish is Donal, pronounced DOE-nal, meaning “ruler of the world.”

No. 13 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 225 baby boys.

Dara in Irish is Daire, pronounced DI-re, meaning “fruitful, fertile.”

No. 108 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 52 baby boys.

Daragh in Irish is Daire, pronounced DI-re, meaning “fruitful, fertile.”

No. 509 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 6 baby boys.

Darragh in Irish is Daire, pronounced DI-re, meaning “fruitful, fertile.”

No. 19 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 205 baby boys.

David in Irish is Daithi, pronounced DAH-hee, meaning “swiftness, nimbleness.”

No. 45 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 114 baby boys.

Davin is best known in Ireland as a surname, one of the English forms of Ó Daimhín, “descendant of Daimhín.”

No. 829 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 3 baby boys.

Deaglan, written Déaglán in Irish and anglicised Declan, comes from the Old Irish Declán. Its meaning is uncertain, but the first part is probably the Old Irish dag-, “good.”

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2005.

Declan in Irish is Deaglan, pronounced DECK-lan.

No. 348 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 11 baby boys.

Dermot in Irish is Diarmuid, pronounced DEER-mid.

No. 829 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 3 baby boys.

Derry is used as a short form of Diarmuid and its English form Dermot, and sometimes of Alexander.

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2016.

Desmond is an anglicized form of Deasmhumhain, “South Munster,” from deas “south” and Mumhain, the Irish name for Munster.

No. 402 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 9 baby boys.

Diarmuid is an old Irish name whose meaning is debated.

No. 272 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 16 baby boys.

Dillon is an Irish surname of Norman-French origin, also used as a first name. Woulfe traces it to an old Germanic personal name, Dill, Dillo or Dilli, but gives no meaning for it.

No. 829 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 3 baby boys.

Donagh in Irish is Donncha, pronounced DONE-acka, meaning “brown warrior.”

No. 146 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 37 baby boys.

Donal is an anglicised form of the Irish Domhnall (Old Irish Domnall), an old name meaning “ruler of the world.”

No. 509 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 6 baby boys.

Donald in Irish is Donal, pronounced DOE-nal, meaning “ruler of the world.”

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2019.

Donncha comes from the Old Irish Donnchad, from donn “brown” (in poetry also “noble, chief”) and cath “battle,” so “brown warrior” or “strong warrior.”

No. 64 for boys in Ireland in 2025 (spelled Donnacha), with 86 baby boys.

Doolin in Irish is Dubhlainn, pronounced DOVE-lin, meaning “black Flann.”

Rare in Ireland: fewer than three baby boys a year get the name.

Dubhlainn appears to come from the old Irish name Dubhfhlann, “black Flann.”

Rare in Ireland: fewer than three baby boys a year get the name.

The closest Irish name to Dylan is Dillon. Dillon is said DIL-on.

No. 69 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 84 baby boys.