
The short answer
Daisy is a feminine English name taken directly from the flower, pronounced DAY-zee. Behind the Name traces the word to Old English dægeseage, meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, when many other plant and flower names were coined, and was fairly popular at the end of that century and the beginning of the 20th. The entry notes literary and screen bearers such as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby (1925) and the Disney character Daisy Duck (1940), and a small popularity boost from a character in The Dukes of Hazzard in 1979. In the United States it ranked #75 for girls in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name gives Daisy as "simply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English dægeseage meaning 'day eye'". Its use as a given name dates from the 19th century, when, in the entry's words, "many other plant and flower names were coined". The entry lists no spelling variants or diminutives; the only related forms given are Deise (Brazilian Portuguese) and Deisy and Deysi (Latin American Spanish).
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Old English | dægeseage | day eye |
| English | daisy | the white flower |
Popularity
Daisy ranked #75 for girls in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration). Behind the Name sketches the longer curve: fairly popular at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, at a low in the United States in the 1970s, then a small boost from a character on The Dukes of Hazzard in 1979. Those historical observations are reported second-hand and should be checked against the SSA historical files.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #75 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: None documented.
Variants: None documented.
Related names: Deise, Deisy, Deysi
What the name feels like
Daisy is cheerful and informal by design: a two-syllable flower name with a bright vowel and a playful -y ending. It reads as vintage rather than antique, carrying the 19th-century flower-name fashion without the formality of Rose or Violet, and it works as a stand-alone name rather than a nickname.
Style tags: flower name, word name, vintage, two syllables
Editorial interpretation: The style impressions above are editorial judgment, not linguistic fact. The etymology, the 19th-century origin and the popularity notes are drawn from Behind the Name.
If you like this name
Editorial suggestions: other flower and nature names, and names with Daisy's light two-syllable sound.
Similar by meaning
Similar by sound
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Daisy mean?
Daisy is the English word for the white flower, which Behind the Name traces to Old English dægeseage, "day eye".
When did Daisy become a name?
Behind the Name says Daisy was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time as many other plant and flower names were coined.
Is Daisy a popular name?
Daisy ranked #75 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Daisy — supports etymology, pronunciation, 19th-century origin, related names, historical popularity notes.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.