Dana
Dana is a unisex given name. It was among the 100 most popular names given to girls born in the United States between 1960 and 1990. It has since fallen in popularity and was ranked the 446th most popular name given to girls born in the United States in 2007. As a male forename it was of the 314th rank out of 1,219 in the 1990 U.S. census.
- Romanian
- Czech
- Slovak
- German
Meaning & Origin of Dana
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dana is a unisex given name. It was among the 100 most popular names given to girls born in the United States between 1960 and 1990. It has since fallen in popularity and was ranked the 446th most popular name given to girls born in the United States in 2007. As a male forename it was of the 314th rank out of 1,219 in the 1990 U.S. census.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Romanian
- Czech
- Slovak
- German
- Hebrew
- English
- Bulgarian
- Macedonian
- Persian
- Arabic
The Story of Dana
As a girl name
American parents first put Dana on the record books as a girl name in 1882, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1971, when 6,934 Danas were born — ranking #44 that year. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Danas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,028 among girl names with 245 births, gradually falling (-8%). In total, more than 194K Danas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Dana as a boy name dates back to 1880, when 12 babies received it. 1962 was its biggest year on record, with 1,796 newborns named Dana — #172 in the national rankings. The 1950s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 28% of all recorded Danas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,575 among boy names with 22 births, falling sharply (-24%). In total, more than 53K Danas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Dana
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Dana. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Dana
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dana is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dana
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About the name Dana
Dana is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 194K births in the dataset. Dana's peak popularity came in 1971 when it ranked #44. Use the chart and map above to compare Dana's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1971 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.