Holding steady.
Popularity of Dontavis since 1981
Babies named Dontavis per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1991, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Dontavis's real moment was 1998.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 62 |
| 1990s | 175 |
| 2000s | 100 |
| 2010s | 22 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Dontavis is a modern invented name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1981, reflecting the creativity of African American naming traditions in the late 20th century. The name saw its peak usage in 1998, though it has never been common enough to enter the top 1000 rankings. As of 2025, its usage remains stable but rare, with no recorded top state concentrations. Dontavis exemplifies the trend of blending popular prefixes and suffixes to create distinctive names, a pattern seen in names like Dontae and DeAndre.
Dontavis is a modern coinage that emerged in the United States during the late 20th century, particularly within African American naming traditions. It appears to be formed by combining the popular prefix 'Don-' (as in Dontae or Dontrell) with the suffix '-avis', possibly influenced by names like Octavis or Travis. The name has no historical or linguistic roots and is considered an invented name.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Don, Tay
Sibling names for Dontavis
Names that share Dontavis's style, for a brother or sister.
