Dana

Dana - A very unique male name

Dana appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #444. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Dana and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Dana? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Dana. The baby boy name Dana was given to 5 baby boys in 2021, ranking #3825 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 301,319 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Dana peaked in popularity 72 years ago in 1954 on position 166.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Dana, 1-5?

Dana is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Dana is currently topping the baby name charts in Pennsylvania at position #1,300 - and is the least popular in Pennsylvania at position #1,300.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Dana is where you live.

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Dana origin and meaning

English / various — surname and short form

Used for boys as a transferred surname and as a form related to Dane / Daniel; no single origin is established

Dana worked for boys through the mid-1900s, peaking in 1962 with 1,787 births and totalling 48,719, before girls' use and time overtook it. It last ranked in 2020, with no 2025 row.

Origin uncertain

Dana is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Dana, pop culture references for the name Dana and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Dana

We've found the following names that sound similar to Dana, sorted by popularity.

Danny / Dean / Don / Duane / Damian / Dan / Dwayne / Damon / Damien / Donnie /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Dana

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Dana a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Dana?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

DAY-nuh · /ˈdeɪnə/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Dayna — A respelling used mainly for girls

Famous bearers

• Dana Andrews — Actor, star of The Best Years of Our Lives (born Carver Dana Andrews) (1909–1992) Historical
• Dana White — President of the UFC (b. 1969) Contemporary

Why parents choose it

A mid-century boys' name now read as a girls' name almost everywhere.

Worth knowing

• Most new hearers assume Dana is female