Fun Facts About the Name Daphne
- More than 44 thousand babies named Daphne: U.S. records list 44,181 babies given the name Daphne from 1880 through 2025. Even 7 boys received the name Daphne - about 1 boy for every 6,311 girls.
What Does the Name Daphne Mean?
Daphne is a feminine name from Ancient Greek. It comes from δάφνη (daphnē), the Greek word for the laurel or bay tree, especially the bay laurel (Laurus nobilis). The personal name is the plant word itself, not a separate name with a different root. In Greek myth, Daphne is a nymph who is changed into a laurel tree; because the laurel was sacred to Apollo, the name later took on associations with poetry and victory. Those associations are symbolic developments, not the literal etymology. The earlier origin of the Greek word is uncertain.
Daphne Name History & Origins
The name is Greek: Δάφνη. In myth, Daphne is a nymph, usually said to be a daughter of a river god. When pursued by Apollo, she is transformed into a laurel, and the tree becomes sacred to him. Greek and Roman writers told the story in different versions; the most familiar Latin retelling is in Ovid's Metamorphoses, where the name appears as Daphne. That Latin form is the one that passed into modern European languages, including English. The name has been used as a feminine given name in Greek and later in other European languages; in English poetry it also appears as a classical and pastoral name.
How Popular is the Name Daphne?
Daphne recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Its best rank was #178 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #178 | 1,740 | 0.1083% |
| 2024 | #192 | 1,564 | 0.0970% |
| 2023 | #241 | 1,265 | 0.0789% |
| 2022 | #279 | 1,132 | 0.0691% |
| 2021 | #289 | 1,102 | 0.0672% |
| 2020 | #415 | 752 | 0.0465% |
| 2019 | #435 | 734 | 0.0438% |
| 2018 | #384 | 808 | 0.0475% |
| 2017 | #385 | 812 | 0.0470% |
| 2016 | #407 | 819 | 0.0462% |
| 2015 | #378 | 864 | 0.0484% |
| 2014 | #355 | 919 | 0.0515% |
| 2013 | #396 | 777 | 0.0443% |
| 2012 | #421 | 744 | 0.0423% |
| 2011 | #451 | 673 | 0.0383% |
| 2010 | #489 | 618 | 0.0348% |
| 2009 | #477 | 649 | 0.0353% |
| 2008 | #539 | 571 | 0.0302% |
| 2007 | #584 | 512 | 0.0266% |
| 2006 | #611 | 478 | 0.0251% |
| 2005 | #554 | 520 | 0.0281% |
| 2004 | #589 | 477 | 0.0260% |
| 2003 | #594 | 460 | 0.0252% |
| 2002 | #569 | 465 | 0.0259% |
| 2001 | #466 | 597 | 0.0332% |
| 2000 | #633 | 396 | 0.0218% |
| 1999 | #696 | 324 | 0.0183% |
| 1998 | #758 | 284 | 0.0161% |
| 1997 | #843 | 244 | 0.0140% |
| 1996 | #832 | 241 | 0.0137% |
| 1995 | #863 | 225 | 0.0128% |
| 1994 | #742 | 280 | 0.0157% |
| 1993 | #914 | 210 | 0.0116% |
| 1992 | #894 | 220 | 0.0119% |
| 1991 | #884 | 223 | 0.0119% |
| 1990 | #765 | 268 | 0.0141% |
| 1989 | #843 | 222 | 0.0120% |
| 1988 | #692 | 277 | 0.0156% |
| 1987 | #754 | 238 | 0.0137% |
| 1986 | #726 | 245 | 0.0143% |
| 1985 | #657 | 276 | 0.0160% |
| 1984 | #630 | 281 | 0.0167% |
| 1983 | #585 | 305 | 0.0183% |
| 1982 | #606 | 296 | 0.0175% |
| 1981 | #647 | 273 | 0.0164% |
| 1980 | #637 | 286 | 0.0172% |
| 1979 | #601 | 300 | 0.0187% |
| 1978 | #571 | 301 | 0.0196% |
| 1977 | #528 | 347 | 0.0226% |
| 1976 | #443 | 440 | 0.0300% |
| 1975 | #479 | 383 | 0.0263% |
| 1974 | #402 | 503 | 0.0343% |
| 1973 | #382 | 536 | 0.0368% |
| 1972 | #383 | 556 | 0.0365% |
| 1971 | #335 | 778 | 0.0468% |
| 1970 | #360 | 683 | 0.0391% |
| 1969 | #362 | 641 | 0.0380% |
| 1968 | #351 | 640 | 0.0390% |
| 1967 | #364 | 605 | 0.0366% |
| 1966 | #365 | 617 | 0.0365% |
| 1965 | #356 | 641 | 0.0363% |
| 1964 | #344 | 766 | 0.0404% |
| 1963 | #306 | 926 | 0.0480% |
| 1962 | #266 | 1,132 | 0.0576% |
| 1961 | #371 | 670 | 0.0332% |
| 1960 | #572 | 295 | 0.0146% |
| 1959 | #545 | 318 | 0.0157% |
| 1958 | #478 | 393 | 0.0195% |
| 1957 | #542 | 313 | 0.0153% |
| 1956 | #582 | 262 | 0.0130% |
| 1955 | #578 | 250 | 0.0128% |
| 1954 | #554 | 259 | 0.0133% |
| 1953 | #540 | 257 | 0.0137% |
| 1952 | #521 | 264 | 0.0142% |
| 1951 | #578 | 221 | 0.0123% |
| 1950 | #513 | 252 | 0.0147% |
| 1949 | #579 | 205 | 0.0120% |
| 1948 | #645 | 166 | 0.0098% |
| 1947 | #627 | 179 | 0.0101% |
| 1946 | #684 | 136 | 0.0087% |
| 1945 | #732 | 104 | 0.0080% |
| 1944 | #705 | 113 | 0.0085% |
| 1943 | #764 | 103 | 0.0074% |
| 1942 | #725 | 106 | 0.0078% |
| 1941 | #671 | 111 | 0.0092% |
| 1940 | #703 | 98 | 0.0086% |
| 1939 | #940 | 56 | 0.0051% |
| 1938 | #1,011 | 50 | 0.0045% |
| 1937 | #704 | 94 | 0.0088% |
| 1936 | #758 | 79 | 0.0076% |
| 1935 | #806 | 71 | 0.0068% |
| 1934 | #797 | 71 | 0.0068% |
| 1933 | #704 | 85 | 0.0084% |
| 1932 | #731 | 85 | 0.0080% |
| 1931 | #769 | 76 | 0.0071% |
| 1930 | #701 | 97 | 0.0086% |
| 1929 | #731 | 91 | 0.0082% |
| 1928 | #674 | 107 | 0.0093% |
| 1927 | #724 | 99 | 0.0083% |
| 1926 | #710 | 105 | 0.0089% |
| 1925 | #677 | 120 | 0.0099% |
| 1924 | #695 | 114 | 0.0091% |
| 1923 | #705 | 107 | 0.0089% |
| 1922 | #706 | 106 | 0.0088% |
| 1921 | #719 | 104 | 0.0084% |
| 1920 | #712 | 104 | 0.0087% |
| 1919 | #780 | 82 | 0.0073% |
| 1918 | #749 | 91 | 0.0079% |
| 1917 | #830 | 68 | 0.0063% |
| 1916 | #848 | 64 | 0.0061% |
| 1915 | #812 | 65 | 0.0066% |
| 1914 | #973 | 37 | 0.0049% |
| 1913 | #1,027 | 28 | 0.0045% |
| 1912 | #962 | 28 | 0.0050% |
| 1911 | #1,039 | 18 | 0.0043% |
| 1910 | #1,080 | 17 | 0.0043% |
| 1909 | #818 | 25 | 0.0072% |
| 1908 | #888 | 20 | 0.0060% |
| 1907 | #1,046 | 14 | 0.0044% |
| 1906 | #800 | 21 | 0.0071% |
| 1905 | #1,253 | 10 | 0.0034% |
| 1904 | #1,058 | 12 | 0.0044% |
| 1903 | #938 | 14 | 0.0053% |
| 1902 | #877 | 16 | 0.0061% |
| 1901 | #926 | 13 | 0.0054% |
| 1900 | #926 | 17 | 0.0057% |
| 1899 | #940 | 12 | 0.0051% |
| 1898 | #928 | 14 | 0.0054% |
| 1897 | #743 | 18 | 0.0077% |
| 1896 | #847 | 15 | 0.0063% |
| 1895 | #941 | 12 | 0.0051% |
| 1894 | #791 | 15 | 0.0067% |
| 1893 | #968 | 10 | 0.0047% |
| 1892 | #865 | 12 | 0.0057% |
| 1891 | #1,028 | 8 | 0.0043% |
| 1890 | #696 | 15 | 0.0079% |
| 1889 | #917 | 9 | 0.0050% |
| 1888 | #1,329 | 5 | 0.0028% |
| 1887 | #1,061 | 6 | 0.0041% |
| 1886 | #1,011 | 6 | 0.0042% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | #3,376 | 7 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Daphne
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with D
How the Name Daphne Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Daphne's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Daphne's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.