Dawn Girl

Popularity: #863 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: dawn //dɔːn//

Origin: English; Latin

Meaning: English: the first appearance of light; Latin: dawn

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Dawn originates from the Old English word "dæge," which means "day" or "daylight." This term is derived from the Proto-Germanic root "dagaz," which also relates to the concept of day. The transition into the modern English form occurred through various linguistic evolutions, including influences from Old Norse and Middle English, where the term began to take on a more specific meaning related to the first light of day.

The name Dawn, as a given name, began to be used in English-speaking cultures in the 20th century, reflecting a broader trend of using nature-inspired names. Historically, the concept of dawn has been significant in various cultures, often symbolizing new beginnings, hope, and renewal.

In literature and art, dawn has frequently been depicted as a time of transformation and awakening. The association of dawn with light and clarity can be traced back to ancient mythologies, where deities representing dawn, such as the Greek Eos and the Roman Aurora, were celebrated in poetry and religious practices.

These figures often embodied the transition from night to day, reinforcing the symbolic importance of dawn in human experience. In Christian tradition, dawn is often linked to themes of resurrection and enlightenment, as seen in hymns and religious texts that celebrate the arrival of light after darkness.

The name Dawn may also resonate with the idea of divine illumination, reflecting a spiritual awakening. Although diminutive forms of the name are less common, variations such as "Dawnie" have emerged informally.

Overall, the name Dawn encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic roots and cultural significance, representing both a literal and metaphorical light in human history.

Famous people named Dawn

In this section, you will find notable people named Dawn. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Dawn who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Dawn who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Dawn French is a comedian and actress best known for The Vicar of Dibley, French and Saunders, and The Mighty Boosh.

Dawn Wells is an actress best known for Gilligan's Island, The Brady Bunch, and The New Adventures of Old Christine.

Dawn Richard is a singer and songwriter best known for her work with Danity Kane, Diddy – Dirty Money, and her solo albums.

Dawn O'Porter is a writer and television presenter best known for This Old Thing, My Last Supper, and her novels.

Fictional characters named Dawn

The following list of fictional characters named Dawn is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Dawn is a fictional character from the Pokémon anime series. She is a Pokémon Coordinator who travels with Ash and participates in various contests.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dawn, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Dawn. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Dawn was first seen in the United States in 1888.

Dawn has ranked as high as #44 nationally, which occurred in 1970, and has been most popular in New York, Michigan, Illinois, California, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Dawn has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Dawn is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Dawn was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Dawn.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 85 0 85
2024 114 6 108
2023 78 0 78
2022 100 0 100
2021 96 0 96
2020 83 0 83
2019 86 0 86
2018 100 0 100
2017 105 0 105
2016 85 0 85
2015 99 0 99
2014 94 0 94
2013 78 0 78
2012 90 0 90
2011 94 0 94
2010 92 0 92
2009 113 0 113
2008 114 0 114
2007 122 0 122
2006 130 0 130
2005 125 0 125
2004 157 0 157
2003 200 0 200
2002 197 0 197
2001 179 0 179
2000 240 0 240
1999 231 0 231
1998 264 0 264
1997 318 0 318
1996 260 0 260
1995 324 5 319
1994 397 6 391
1993 497 0 497
1992 619 6 613
1991 675 6 669
1990 749 9 740
1989 863 6 857
1988 1,061 0 1,061
1987 1,162 8 1,154
1986 1,463 11 1,452
1985 1,739 9 1,730
1984 2,116 11 2,105
1983 2,659 18 2,641
1982 3,102 14 3,088
1981 3,859 20 3,839
1980 4,496 17 4,479
1979 4,749 24 4,725
1978 5,248 31 5,217
1977 6,118 22 6,096
1976 7,070 22 7,048
1975 8,798 54 8,744
1974 9,453 36 9,417
1973 9,929 39 9,890
1972 11,382 42 11,340
1971 14,328 40 14,288
1970 15,724 43 15,681
1969 13,819 51 13,768
1968 13,470 29 13,441
1967 13,210 43 13,167
1966 13,634 31 13,603
1965 13,375 31 13,344
1964 12,650 37 12,613
1963 8,437 25 8,412
1962 9,006 22 8,984
1961 9,170 22 9,148
1960 7,836 23 7,813
1959 7,923 25 7,898
1958 5,699 25 5,674
1957 5,170 11 5,159
1956 5,139 11 5,128
1955 4,225 9 4,216
1954 3,366 10 3,356
1953 2,648 8 2,640
1952 1,890 6 1,884
1951 1,539 6 1,533
1950 1,411 0 1,411
1949 1,285 0 1,285
1948 1,241 0 1,241
1947 1,275 6 1,269
1946 1,040 0 1,040
1945 750 5 745
1944 654 0 654
1943 770 5 765
1942 681 6 675
1941 537 7 530
1940 436 9 427
1939 468 0 468
1938 480 9 471
1937 465 8 457
1936 512 0 512
1935 398 0 398
1934 295 7 288
1933 313 6 307
1932 325 6 319
1931 299 8 291
1930 221 0 221
1929 228 5 223
1928 188 0 188
1927 199 5 194
1926 180 5 175
1925 135 5 130
1924 141 0 141
1923 138 7 131
1922 104 0 104
1921 94 0 94
1920 84 0 84
1919 63 0 63
1918 49 0 49
1917 54 0 54
1916 57 0 57
1915 58 0 58
1914 30 0 30
1913 13 0 13
1912 17 0 17
1911 8 0 8
1910 8 0 8
1908 8 0 8
1907 6 0 6
1906 6 0 6
1905 5 0 5
1904 5 0 5
1896 7 0 7
1894 5 0 5
1892 7 0 7
1890 7 0 7
1888 5 0 5

Top States for Dawn (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 17
27%
TX 12
19%
IL 9
15%
FL 7
11%
GA 7
11%
OH 5
8%
VA 5
8%