Davena

Meaning & origin

Davena is a rare Scottish feminine name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1946. It reached its peak popularity in 1976, though even then it was not common; the name has never ranked among the top 1000 names for any given year. In recent years, Davena has been slowly rising in usage again since 2022, perhaps reflecting a broader revival of vintage Scottish names. The name is typically considered a variant of Davina, itself a feminine diminutive of David, meaning 'beloved'. While it has no recorded top states due to its rarity, Davena carries a distinctive sound that fits with other revived 1970s names.

Davena is a Scottish feminine name derived from David, which comes from the Hebrew name Dawid, meaning 'beloved'. It emerged in the 20th century as a variant of Davina, a Scottish diminutive of David. The name saw modest use in the mid-20th century, particularly in Scotland and England.