Given name & surname
Dana
“woran from Denmark”·“dane”
Dana is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “woran from Denmark” (English) and “dane” (Norwegian). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “woran from Denmark” (English) and “dane” (Norwegian). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is English, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
In Czech usage, Dana is a short form of Daniela. Dana is a feminine form of Daniel.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Dana is a feminine form of Daniel. The history of Daniel gives this family its wider story. The biblical Daniel is remembered for interpreting dreams and surviving the lions’ den. His story was a favourite subject of medieval miracle plays, giving the name a life in performance as well as scripture. In Czech use, Dana is a feminine form of Dan. The history of Dan gives this family its wider story. Dan appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Dana through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 246,842
- 53,287 boys · 193,555 girls
- Most popular year
- 1971
- 8,032 babies
- 2025
- 269
- #1,027 for girls · #4,157 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −16%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 9% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 244 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,027 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 14.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 6,934 in 1971. It also appeared in 25 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (41). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 210,579 as a first name in 2020; 4,877 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Dana’s family of names
In Czech usage, Dana is a short form of Daniela. Dana is a feminine form of Daniel. Dana has a related form in Dane.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Dana has relatives in 8 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
21 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 31
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Danielafull form · Czech
- Dannavariant
- Danevariant
- Daniavariant
- Danicavariant
- Dariafull form
- Danyavariant
- Daynevariant
Show 23 moreShow fewer
- Daynavariant
- Danahvariant
- Dainavariant
- Danutafull form · Polish
- Dankadiminutive · Slovak, Czech
- Daneyvariant
- Danetvariant
- Danacavariant
- Daenavariant
- Danijelafull form · Slovene
- Bogdanafull form · Slovene
- Daninadiminutive · Czech
- Danisławafull form · Polish
- Danušdiminutive · Czech
- Danuškadiminutive · Czech, Slovak
- Danulkadiminutive · Czech
- Daničkadiminutive · Czech
- Danielkadiminutive · Slovak
- Danuľkadiminutive · Slovak
- Bohdanafull form · Czech
- Danul(k)apet form
- DanuSkapet form
- Danušepet form · Czech
Spellings & scripts 5
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 9
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Danielmasculine form
- Danmasculine form · Czech
- Bogdanmasculine form
- Denaequivalent
- Deanaequivalent
- Dannahequivalent
- Adanaequivalent
- Daneaequivalent
Show 1 moreShow fewer
See also 7
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Dana
- Dana InternationalIsraeli singerborn 1969
- Dana DelanyAmerican actressborn 1956
- Dana WhiteAmerican businessman and president of UFC (born 1969)
- Dana Rosemary ScallonNorthern Irish singer and politicianborn 1951
- Dana ZátopkováCzech javelin thrower1922–2020
- Dana ScottAmerican mathematician and computer scientistborn 1932
- Dana SnyderAmerican actor and comedianborn 1973
- Dana GouldAmerican stand-up comedianborn 1964
- Dana HillAmerican actress (1964–1996)
Characters named Dana: Dana Scully (fictional character and protagonist of the television series The X-Files).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Dana, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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