Fluorescent dyes with application prospect, have attracted the attention of many scholars due to their high emission intensity, bright color and strong fluorescence. According to the classification of dyes, the development of commercial disperse, acidic and reactive fluorescent dyes, 1, 8-naphthalimide, coumarin, hemiocyanine and other derivatives in textile dyeing applications are summarized from the last century to the present. Finally, the developing trend of fluorescent dyes suitable for textile is proposed.