Daphne is a feminine given name of Greek origin, derived from the word "daphnis," which means "laurel" or "leafy." The name Daphne is strongly associated with Greek mythology and the nymph Daphne who was pursued by the god Apollo until she transformed herself into a laurel tree to escape him.
In ancient Greece, laurels were considered sacred to Apollo and were used as symbols of victory and triumph. As such, the name Daphne has been associated with beauty, grace, and divine favor throughout history.
The name Daphne gained popularity in English-speaking countries during the Victorian era, when classical Greek names became fashionable among the aristocracy. Today, Daphne remains a popular choice for parents looking to give their daughters a distinctive yet elegant name with a rich historical heritage.
In literature, the most famous reference to Daphne is found in Ovid's "Metamorphoses," where the nymph Daphne is transformed into a laurel tree by her father, the river god Peneus, to protect her from Apollo's advances. This story has inspired countless works of art throughout the centuries and continues to be a source of fascination for scholars and artists alike.
Overall, the name Daphne carries with it a sense of timeless beauty, grace, and divine favor that makes it an appealing choice for parents seeking a meaningful and enduring name for their daughter.
The name Daphne has been a part of the American landscape for well over a century. The first recorded birth of a girl named Daphne occurred in 1886 with six such births that year. This number remained steady at six births in 1887 before increasing to nine in 1889 and fifteen in 1890.
Throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the popularity of the name Daphne ebbed and flowed. The highest point during this period was reached in 1906 with twenty-one births that year. However, the following years saw a decline, with numbers dropping as low as ten births in 1905.
The interwar period saw fluctuations in popularity for the name Daphne. There were periods of increased popularity, such as between 1924 and 1937 when there were consistently over seventy births each year. However, this was followed by a significant drop-off during World War II, with only fifty births recorded in 1938.
Post-war, the name Daphne started to regain traction. The 1950s saw a steady increase in popularity, peaking at 314 births in 1957. This trend continued into the 1960s and early 1970s, with a high of 1132 births in 1962.
However, from the mid-1970s onwards, there was a gradual decrease in the popularity of the name Daphne. The highest number of births recorded during this period was 778 in 1971, dropping to as low as 210 in 1993.
In recent years, the name Daphne has seen a resurgence in popularity. After reaching a low of 210 births in 1993, it increased steadily, reaching 644 births in 2012 and 919 in 2014. The last few years have seen the name reach new heights with 1257 births recorded in 2023.
Over the course of over a century, there have been a total of 40861 recorded births for the name Daphne in the United States. This data shows how the popularity of this name has changed over time, from its early beginnings to its current status as a popular choice among parents today.