Etymology: Derived from the Old English 'dæl' meaning 'valley' or 'meadow,' and the suffix '-ey' from 'eg,' meaning 'island' or 'dry ground in a marsh,' thus originally referring to someone who lived by a clearing or island in a valley. It also exists as an anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Dálaigh, meaning 'descendant of Dálach,' associated with a bardic family.