The name Desiree is of French origin and means "desired". It was popularized by the French playwright Alexandre Bisson's play "Desiree", which premiered in Paris in 1849. In the play, the character Desiree is a young woman who marries a king but is eventually abandoned by him due to her humble origins. Despite this tragic story, the name has since been associated with beauty and elegance, perhaps due to its connection to the attractive lead character in the play. Today, Desiree remains a popular girls' name around the world, often spelled as Desirée or Desiree.
The name Desiree has seen a varied number of births over the years in the United States. Between 1965 and 2004, there were 198 babies named Desiree born in total.
The popularity of the name peaked in the late 1980s to early 1990s, with a high of 12 births recorded in 1986. This trend continued through 1990, with 10 or more births each year. However, after 1991, the popularity of the name began to decline, with fewer than 10 births per year until 2004.
Despite this decrease in popularity, Desiree remains a unique and distinctive name choice. It has been given to at least one baby girl every year since 1965, indicating that parents continue to appreciate its uncommon sound and spelling.
In terms of regional distribution, Desiree was most popular in the South region of the United States during this time period, with over half (102 out of 198) of all births occurring there. The Midwest followed with 47 births, while the Northeast had 36 births, and the West had 13 births.
Overall, these statistics show that while Desiree may not have been one of the most popular names in terms of total births, it has maintained a steady presence among baby girls born in the United States over the past four decades. Its unique spelling and sound continue to appeal to parents looking for a distinctive name choice for their daughters.