Danae
In Greek mythology, Danaë was an Argive princess and mother of the hero Perseus by Zeus. She was credited with founding the city of Ardea in Latium during the Bronze Age.
Meaning & Origin of Danae
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In Greek mythology, Danaë was an Argive princess and mother of the hero Perseus by Zeus. She was credited with founding the city of Ardea in Latium during the Bronze Age.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Danae
Danae first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1947, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2001, when 212 Danaes were born — ranking #1,011 that year. As of 2026, Danae ranks #1,380 for baby girls with 162 births, rising sharply (+39% over the past five years). In total, more than 8K Danaes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Danae
Phonetically similar names — useful when Danae 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 Danae
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About the name Danae
Danae is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1947 and has accumulated 8K births in the dataset. Danae's peak popularity came in 2001 when it ranked #913. Use the chart and map above to compare Danae's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2001 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.