Dana

Updated: October 19, 2023 by Olivia Mittak

Dana is a name with many origins. She was the ancient goddess of water in Slavic cultures. This name can be used for girls or boys. It was one of the 100 most popular names for girls born in the United States between 1960 and 1990.

Meaning and Origin of the Name Dana

Dana has Hebrew, Sanskrit, and Romanian origins. The name has been used heavily in the Persian Gulf, where the name's meaning is beloved by those in the pearl diving profession. In Arabic cultures, the name is interpreted to mean “the most perfectly sized, valuable, and beautiful pearl”. In Hebrew, the name has a more religious meaning: “arbiter or God is my judge”. Finally, in Sanskrit and Pali, the name means generosity.

Symbolism of the Name Dana

Dana is a visionary and an inspiration to others. They are an idealist and a dreamer. Dana is intuitive and wise, as well as extremely sensitive or almost psychic.

Style of the Name Dana

Traditional

Gender of the Name Dana

Dana is a unisex baby name given to both boys and girls.

Pronunciation of the Name Dana

Day-nah

Number of Syllables in the Name Dana

Two

Emotion Evoked From the Name Dana

Dana is calm and composed, not losing their footing when life takes a crazy turn. They have a strong intuition that gives them valuable wisdom and inspiration regarding their surroundings. Dana is patient but can make quick decisions.

Alternative Spellings for the Name Dana

Dannah
Danae
Dayna
Danna

Nicknames for the Name Dana

Dawby
Nay Nay
Dan
Danny
Dan-o
Ana
Ann
Annie
Danners
Danner

Popularity of the Name Dana

Dana was on the popularity chart as early as 1900. It gradually gained popularity through the years, including a spike in 1936. This was an extremely popular name every year through the 1990s and then started to decline a little after that. The name last appeared on the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 list in 2019, at 950 for girls. It has never ranked among the top 1,000 names for boys.