Daphne
Daphne is a girls' name of Greek origin meaning “laurel tree.” It ranked #178 in the United States in 2025. In Greek mythology, Daphne was a naiad nymph who was transformed into a laurel tree to escape Apollo's pursuit, a story…
how do you pronounce Daphne?
DAF-nee
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Daphne mean?
The name Daphne means “laurel tree.” It comes from the Greek language tradition.
In Greek mythology, Daphne was a naiad nymph who was transformed into a laurel tree to escape Apollo's pursuit, a story immortalized by Bernini's famous sculpture. The laurel then became Apollo's sacred plant, used to crown victors and poets throughout ancient Greece.
where does the name Daphne come from?
From the Greek word for laurel or bay, reaching English by way of French, per Wiktionary — though a direct route is also offered as a possibility.
the history of Daphne
The name comes from the Greek myth of the naiad nymph Daphne, who was turned into a laurel tree to escape the god Apollo's pursuit, per Wikipedia.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #178 |
| 2024 | #193 |
| 2023 | #241 |
| 2022 | #281 |
| 2021 | #289 |
| 2020 | #415 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Daphne?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Daphne?
- Daphne du Maurier (author of Rebecca and The Birds)
- Daphne Bridgerton (character in Bridgerton series)
what names are similar to Daphne?
what names go well with Daphne?
Sibling names that share Daphne's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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