Donya
Donya is a feminine given name, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. In Persian "Donya" (دنیا) means "world" or "earth." In Persian literature, Donya is mentioned in the works of famous poets like Rumi and Hafez. In some Slavic countries, such as Russia and Bulgaria, "Donya" (Доня) is a diminutive form of names like "Donata" or "Donka," meaning "gift" or "generous."
Meaning & Origin of Donya
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Donya is a feminine given name, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. In Persian "Donya" (دنیا) means "world" or "earth." In Persian literature, Donya is mentioned in the works of famous poets like Rumi and Hafez. In some Slavic countries, such as Russia and Bulgaria, "Donya" (Доня) is a diminutive form of names like "Donata" or "Donka," meaning "gift" or "generous."
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Donya
As a girl name
Donya first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1934, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1970: 100 births, good for #1,154 nationwide. About 27% of every Donya on record arrived during the 1970s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Donya ranks #9,325 for girls with 8 births, falling sharply (-35%). All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1930s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Donya on the record books as a boy name in 1972, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1996, when 19 Donyas were born — ranking #3,549 that year. About 38% of every Donya on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. Donya last appeared in the published SSA data in 2009, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 265 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Donya
Phonetically similar names — useful when Donya 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 Donya
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About the name Donya
Donya is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1934 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Donya's peak popularity came in 1970 when it ranked #1,154. Use the chart and map above to compare Donya'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 →
- 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.