Daisy

From Naming Names

Daisy is a female given name of English origin.

[edit] Etymology

An English vocabulary name, simply referring to "daisy", the name of a small white petaled flower. The name actually applies to several flowers of the Asteraceae family, in particular those of the Bellis species. The word itself derives from Old English dægesege, a contraction of dæges eage meaning "day's eye", drawing on the fact that the petals of a daisy open at dawn and close at dusk.

[edit] History

Daisy was originally a nickname given in England to those named Margaret (marguerite being the French name of the flower). However, by the late Victorian era, as "flowery names" became popular for girls, it began being used as a given name in its own right.

Naturally, the name spread with British colonisation and is now found in the United States, Australia, and various other former British colonies.