Dahlia Girl

Popularity: #206 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DAL-yuh //ˈdɑːliə//

Origin: Hebrew; Arabic

Meaning: Hebrew: 'gentle' or 'delicate'; Arabic: 'flower'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Dahlia is derived from the botanical genus Dahlia, which was named in honor of the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl in the 18th century. The genus itself is part of the Asteraceae family and includes various flowering plants native to Mexico and Central America.

The etymology traces back to the Latin word "dahlia," which is a direct reference to the botanist's surname, and it entered the English language in the early 19th century as interest in horticulture and botany flourished in Europe and North America. Historically, the Dahlia flower gained prominence in the Victorian era, particularly in the 19th century, when flowers were often imbued with symbolic meanings.

The flower became associated with elegance and dignity, and it was cultivated extensively in gardens. The name Dahlia, as a given name, began to be used in English-speaking countries around this time, reflecting the growing appreciation for floral names in the context of romanticism and nature.

Culturally, the Dahlia has been celebrated in various art forms and literature, symbolizing beauty and inner strength. The flower's vibrant colors and unique shapes have made it a favorite among gardeners and artists alike.

In some traditions, Dahlias are also associated with change and adaptability, further enhancing their appeal as a name. The name has a melodic quality that resonates with the aesthetic values of the time, contributing to its lasting presence in the lexicon of names for girls.

While diminutive forms are less common, the name Dahlia itself stands out for its floral connection and historical significance.

Famous people named Dahlia

In this section, you will find notable people named Dahlia. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Dahlia who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Dahlia who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Dahlia Lithwick is a legal commentator best known for her work with Slate, her appearances on NPR, and her commentary on Supreme Court cases.

Dahlia Ravikovitch was a poet best known for her collections such as The Ninth Wave, and her contributions to Israeli literature.

Fictional characters named Dahlia

The following list of fictional characters named Dahlia is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Dahlia Hawthorne is a fictional character from the video game series Ace Attorney. She is a key antagonist known for her manipulative and deceptive nature, particularly in the case involving her sister.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dahlia, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DelilahDaphneDariaDemiDaisyDanaDahliana

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Dahlia. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

DeliaDaliaDahlianaDaraDaraeDahlDahlie

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Dahlia was first seen in the United States in 1890.

Dahlia has ranked as high as #474 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Dahlia has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Dahlia is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Dahlia was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Dahlia.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 1,420 1,420
2024 1,304 1,304
2023 1,228 1,228
2022 1,133 1,133
2021 1,038 1,038
2020 873 873
2019 848 848
2018 752 752
2017 797 797
2016 853 853
2015 778 778
2014 721 721
2013 695 695
2012 579 579
2011 538 538
2010 451 451
2009 445 445
2008 397 397
2007 356 356
2006 263 263
2005 192 192
2004 170 170
2003 177 177
2002 160 160
2001 131 131
2000 137 137
1999 128 128
1998 144 144
1997 124 124
1996 105 105
1995 70 70
1994 83 83
1993 44 44
1992 54 54
1991 46 46
1990 41 41
1989 48 48
1988 40 40
1987 29 29
1986 36 36
1985 44 44
1984 36 36
1983 36 36
1982 33 33
1981 39 39
1980 49 49
1979 55 55
1978 39 39
1977 59 59
1976 49 49
1975 41 41
1974 35 35
1973 42 42
1972 34 34
1971 42 42
1970 46 46
1969 38 38
1968 29 29
1967 28 28
1966 36 36
1965 24 24
1964 28 28
1963 28 28
1962 35 35
1961 24 24
1960 37 37
1959 26 26
1958 27 27
1957 20 20
1956 23 23
1955 18 18
1954 42 42
1953 31 31
1952 26 26
1951 21 21
1950 32 32
1949 21 21
1948 28 28
1947 19 19
1946 19 19
1945 10 10
1944 6 6
1943 10 10
1942 14 14
1941 17 17
1940 7 7
1939 13 13
1938 20 20
1937 5 5
1936 11 11
1935 8 8
1934 9 9
1933 9 9
1932 16 16
1931 15 15
1930 18 18
1929 16 16
1928 23 23
1927 21 21
1926 23 23
1925 25 25
1924 23 23
1923 23 23
1922 26 26
1921 26 26
1920 22 22
1919 21 21
1918 16 16
1917 19 19
1916 17 17
1915 15 15
1914 17 17
1913 14 14
1912 10 10
1911 7 7
1910 5 5
1907 5 5
1906 6 6
1905 5 5
1899 6 6
1896 8 8
1890 5 5

Top States for Dahlia (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 250
19%
TX 141
11%
NY 78
6%
FL 64
5%
OH 49
4%
IL 46
4%
MI 38
3%
PA 36
3%
NJ 35
3%
WA 33
3%
GA 32
2%
CO 31
2%
NC 30
2%
AZ 30
2%
IN 28
2%
VA 28
2%
TN 25
2%
NV 22
2%
MA 22
2%
WI 21
2%
MN 18
1%
IA 17
1%
CT 16
1%
OR 15
1%
MO 14
1%
UT 14
1%
OK 14
1%
ID 14
1%
KY 13
1%
KS 12
1%
AL 11
1%
MD 10
1%
LA 9
1%
AR 9
1%
SC 9
1%
NM 9
1%
NE 8
1%
DE 6
0%
SD 6
0%
AK 5
0%
MS 5
0%
HI 5
0%
ME 5
0%