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Dashiell

♂ Boy

Pronounced duh-SHEEL /də.ˈʃiːl/Medium

Meaning: Anglicized form of French surname de Chiel, of uncertain meaning; popularized by Dashiell HammettMedium

In 30 seconds: Dashiell is an Anglicized form of the French surname de Chiel, of uncertain meaning, best known through the writer Dashiell Hammett.

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Origin MediumEnglish, French

MeaningAnglicized form of French surname de Chiel, of uncertain meaning; popularized by Dashiell Hammett

U.S. rank (2025)#2291 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births61 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2015

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,834

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

The name began as an English reshaping of the French surname de Chiel, whose underlying meaning is not reliably known. It owes its life as a first name largely to Dashiell Hammett, the American author of hard-boiled detective fiction who wrote The Maltese Falcon.

Because its root meaning is genuinely unclear, the name leans on its literary association rather than a settled definition. Pronounced with a dash at the start, it has a stylish, slightly old-Hollywood ring.

Did you know? Dashiell likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Dashiell — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961)
American author of hard-boiled detective fiction, wrote The Maltese Falcon.

If you like Dashiell…

Dash— A natural short form drawn from Dashiell's opening syllable.

Darrell— a similarly popular pick

Darell— echoes that soft -ll sound

Kendall— shares the -ll ending

Terrell— another English name

Explore names like Dashiell

By themeenglish surname-style

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Dashiell mean?

Dashiell is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Dashiell?

It's commonly said duh-SHEEL /də.ˈʃiːl/.

Is Dashiell a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Dashiell is used as a boy name.

How popular is Dashiell?

In 2024, Dashiell ranked #2057 in the U.S. for boys, with 73 births recorded.