Daisy is a feminine given name, commonly thought to be derived from the name of the flower. The flower name comes from the Old English word dægeseage, meaning "day's eye". The name Daisy is therefore ultimately derived from this source. Daisy is also a nickname for Margaret, used because Marguerite, the French version of that name, is also a French name for the oxeye daisy. It came into popular use in the late Victorian era along with other flower names. Authors Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran wrote in their 2007 book Baby Name Bible that Daisy has a "fresh, wholesome, and energetic" image. The name has been used for literary characters such as Daisy Miller, the title character of the novella by Henry James, and for television characters such as Daisy Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard. Very short, form-fitting, denim cut-off jeans shorts are named Daisy Dukes after this character.
Daisy was the 166th most popular name for girls born in the United States in 2011. It was in steady use for American girls throughout the 20th century and was ranked among the top 200 names for girls between 1900 and 1940. It declined in popularity between 1960 and 1980, but has been climbing in popularity since the 1980s. It was the 294th most common name for all females during the 1990 United States census. Daisy was the 17th most popular name for girls born in England and Wales in 2010 and the 44th most popular name for girls born in Scotland in 2010. It was among the top five names given to girls born in Guernsey in 2010.
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