Donna
Donna is an English-language feminine first name meaning 'woman' in modern Italian, and 'lady' or 'mistress' in classical Italian. The original meaning is closer to 'lady of the home' and was a title of respect in Italy, equivalent to Don for gentlemen or lord. It is a common given name in the United States, particularly in Chicago, Florida, New York City, and Washington. It is rare as a surname.
Meaning & Origin of Donna
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Donna is an English-language feminine first name meaning 'woman' in modern Italian, and 'lady' or 'mistress' in classical Italian. The original meaning is closer to 'lady of the home' and was a title of respect in Italy, equivalent to Don for gentlemen or lord. It is a common given name in the United States, particularly in Chicago, Florida, New York City, and Washington. It is rare as a surname.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Donna
Donna first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 17 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1959, when 36,469 Donnas were born — ranking #5 that year. As of 2026, Donna ranks #2,131 for baby girls with 90 births, falling sharply (-22%). In total, more than 832K Donnas 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 Donna
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Donna Adelson (born 1950), American convicted murderer
- Donna Air (born 1979), English actress
- Donna Alvermann , American educator and researcher
- Donna Andrews , American author
- Donna Axum (1942–2018), American beauty pageant winner, author, television executive producer, philanthropist and model
- Donna Baird , American epidemiologist and evolutionary-population biologist
- Donna Barnes , American politician
- Donna J. Boley (born 1935), American politician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Donna
Phonetically similar names — useful when Donna 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 Donna
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About the name Donna
Donna is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 832K births in the dataset. Donna's peak popularity came in 1959 when it ranked #5. Use the chart and map above to compare Donna's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1959 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- 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.