Popularity: 649
Origin: British
Other Origin(s): Scandinavian
Meaning: Joy, music; Illusion
Dream is a feminine name that wears its fancy for fantasy on its sleeve. Many may be surprised to discover that Dream is rooted in the Old English drēam, which bears the original meaning of "joy" or "music." It seems before the call of the unconscious realms, Dream represented the acute emotional and auditory sensations felt when entirely awake—embracing the visceral quality of being alive. In time, Scandinavian influence would intermingle Dream with the Old Norse draumr, equating the name with the Proto-Germanic draugmas, meaning "illusion." Still, what is a dream but a celebration of hope, possibility, and unbound creativity.