A 1970s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Deona since 1946
Babies named Deona per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1995, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Deona's real moment was 1979.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 16 |
| 1950s | 38 |
| 1960s | 154 |
| 1970s | 193 |
| 1980s | 197 |
| 1990s | 276 |
| 2000s | 202 |
| 2010s | 85 |
| 2020s | 11 |
Meaning & origin
The name Deona debuted in U.S. records in 1946, reflecting a mid-20th-century pattern of creating feminine variants by adding an 'a' suffix to names like Dean or Leon. It reached its peak popularity in 1979, when it was among the more distinctive choices for girls. After a prolonged period of decline, Deona has been rising again since 2022, indicating renewed interest in this soft, melodic name. While never common, with about 1 in 267,878 babies receiving the name in 2025, it offers a familiar yet uncommon alternative to more popular names like Diana or Deanna. Its primary origin is English, and it is most often used for girls.
Deona is likely a modern variant of Deana or Deanna, which are feminine forms of Dean or derived from Diana. The name Diana itself comes from the Latin 'divus', meaning 'divine'. Deona gained modest use in the mid-20th century, particularly in the United States, and has seen a recent revival since 2022.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Dee, Dina, Nona
Sibling names for Deona
Names that share Deona's style, for a brother or sister.
