Dawn
Dawn is a feminine given name. It is of Old English origin, and its meaning is the first appearance of light, daybreak.
Meaning & Origin of Dawn
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dawn is a feminine given name. It is of Old English origin, and its meaning is the first appearance of light, daybreak.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Dawn
Dawn first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1888, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1970, when 15,681 Dawns were born — ranking #16 that year. As of 2026, Dawn ranks #1,915 for baby girls with 104 births, gradually rising (+5%). In total, more than 290K Dawns have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Dawn
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Dawn (Kim Hyo-jong, born 1994), South Korean rapper
- Dawn Birley (born 1977), Canadian taekwondo practitioner and actress
- Dawn Black (born 1943), politician in British Columbia , Canada
- Dawn Brancheau (1969–2010), SeaWorld trainer
- Dawn Butler (born 1969), British Labour Member of Parliament for Brent East
- Dawn Burrell (born 1973), American long jumper
- Dawn Cavanagh , South African women's rights activist
- Dawn Crosby (1963–1996) American Singer, was the former lead singer of the underground act Détente.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Dawn
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dawn 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 Dawn
What does the name Dawn mean?
How popular is Dawn in 2026?
When was Dawn most popular?
In which U.S. states is Dawn most popular?
Is Dawn a unisex name?
What names go well with Dawn?
About the name Dawn
Dawn is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1888 and has accumulated 290K births in the dataset. Dawn's peak popularity came in 1970 when it ranked #14. Use the chart and map above to compare Dawn's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1970 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- 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.