A 1930s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Dona since 1880
Babies named Dona per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1954, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Dona's real moment was 1933.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 339 |
| 1890s | 459 |
| 1900s | 443 |
| 1910s | 757 |
| 1920s | 2,390 |
| 1930s | 3,418 |
| 1940s | 3,420 |
| 1950s | 3,910 |
| 1960s | 2,247 |
| 1970s | 792 |
| 1980s | 323 |
| 1990s | 187 |
| 2000s | 97 |
| 2010s | 57 |
| 2020s | 18 |
Meaning & origin
Dona has been in use in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of official Social Security records. It reached its peak popularity in 1933, reflecting the naming trends of that era. After a long decline, the name has been rising again since 2021. In 2025, it ranked 14,942, with an estimated frequency of 1 in 321,453 births. While Dona has not historically been concentrated in any particular state, its revival suggests a renewed interest in mid-century names.
Dona may derive from the Scottish name Donald, which comes from the Gaelic Domhnall, meaning 'world ruler' or 'great chief.' Alternatively, it could be a variant of Donna, the feminine of the Italian word for 'lady.' The name has been used in the United States since at least the 1880s, with moderate popularity peaking in the 1930s.
Where Dona is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Dona” around the world
Where Dona lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Donnie
Sibling names for Dona
Names that share Dona's style, for a brother or sister.
