Donna Girl

Popularity: #850 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DAWN-uh //ˈdɒn.ə//

Origin: Italian; Latin

Meaning: Italian: Lady; Latin: Gift

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Donna has its roots in the Italian word "donna," which translates to "woman" or "lady." This term derives from the Latin "domina," meaning "mistress" or "lady of the house," which itself comes from the root "domus," meaning "house" or "home." The transition of the name into English occurred through the influence of Italian culture and language, particularly during the Renaissance when Italian art and literature gained prominence in England. The name was adopted in English-speaking countries, particularly in the 20th century, as a direct borrowing from Italian, reflecting a broader appreciation for Italian culture.

Historically, the name Donna has been associated with various notable figures and cultural references. In literature, it appears in works such as Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" from the early 14th century, where the term is used to convey respect and admiration for women.

Additionally, the name has been borne by various saints and noblewomen throughout history, contributing to its enduring presence in European culture. The name's usage in English literature and its adoption in various artistic contexts helped solidify its place in the lexicon of names.

Culturally, the name Donna carries connotations of elegance and femininity, often associated with grace and dignity. In the 20th century, it became popularized through various cultural mediums, including music and film, which further entrenched its significance in Western culture.

The name is sometimes affectionately shortened to "Donnie" or "Dona," though these forms are less commonly used. Overall, Donna reflects a rich linguistic heritage and a deep cultural resonance that has allowed it to persist through the centuries.

Famous people named Donna

In this section, you will find notable people named Donna. 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 Donna who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Donna 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.

Donna Summer is a singer and songwriter best known for Hot Stuff, Last Dance, and Bad Girls.

Donna Karan is a fashion designer best known for founding DKNY and her signature collection.

Donna Tartt is an author best known for The Secret History, The Little Friend, and The Goldfinch.

Donna Reed is an actress best known for It's a Wonderful Life, The Donna Reed Show, and From Here to Eternity.

Donna Lewis is a singer-songwriter best known for I Love You Always Forever and Without Love.

Fictional characters named Donna

The following list of fictional characters named Donna 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.

Donna Noble is a fictional character from the TV series Doctor Who. She is a companion of the Tenth Doctor who plays a crucial role in several story arcs, known for her strong personality and humor.

Donna Pinciotti is a fictional character from the TV series That '70s Show. She is a main character who navigates her teenage years and relationships with her friends and family in the 1970s.

Sibling suggestions

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

DianaDaphneDelilahDarleneDaisyDanielle

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Donna. 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.

DinaLanaNinaRonaTinaSiennaMonaLola

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Donna was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Donna has ranked as high as #14 nationally, which occurred in 1959, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Donna has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Donna 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 Donna 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 Donna.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 98 0 98
2024 103 0 103
2023 99 0 99
2022 101 0 101
2021 105 0 105
2020 137 0 137
2019 116 0 116
2018 139 0 139
2017 124 0 124
2016 118 0 118
2015 160 0 160
2014 163 0 163
2013 176 0 176
2012 188 0 188
2011 199 0 199
2010 258 0 258
2009 262 0 262
2008 278 0 278
2007 261 0 261
2006 325 0 325
2005 305 0 305
2004 331 0 331
2003 323 0 323
2002 376 0 376
2001 355 0 355
2000 370 0 370
1999 373 0 373
1998 433 0 433
1997 422 0 422
1996 420 0 420
1995 492 0 492
1994 662 0 662
1993 587 6 581
1992 679 0 679
1991 739 0 739
1990 869 8 861
1989 1,000 8 992
1988 1,052 12 1,040
1987 1,031 0 1,031
1986 999 7 992
1985 1,196 5 1,191
1984 1,186 5 1,181
1983 1,389 11 1,378
1982 1,541 11 1,530
1981 1,709 9 1,700
1980 2,014 5 2,009
1979 2,208 10 2,198
1978 2,474 15 2,459
1977 2,593 12 2,581
1976 3,045 13 3,032
1975 3,439 17 3,422
1974 4,376 22 4,354
1973 5,078 20 5,058
1972 6,297 40 6,257
1971 8,047 34 8,013
1970 10,003 35 9,968
1969 11,476 29 11,447
1968 12,795 47 12,748
1967 14,841 54 14,787
1966 17,086 49 17,037
1965 19,751 51 19,700
1964 23,859 51 23,808
1963 25,473 68 25,405
1962 25,790 71 25,719
1961 28,755 76 28,679
1960 34,216 78 34,138
1959 36,539 71 36,468
1958 27,013 54 26,959
1957 28,101 59 28,042
1956 29,915 63 29,852
1955 27,995 55 27,940
1954 27,474 45 27,429
1953 24,279 52 24,227
1952 23,753 35 23,718
1951 24,107 33 24,074
1950 21,666 37 21,629
1949 22,101 45 22,056
1948 22,079 46 22,033
1947 23,561 44 23,517
1946 19,824 54 19,770
1945 15,443 46 15,397
1944 15,224 51 15,173
1943 14,954 42 14,912
1942 13,037 50 12,987
1941 10,493 47 10,446
1940 9,279 47 9,232
1939 9,403 32 9,371
1938 9,726 33 9,693
1937 8,925 38 8,887
1936 7,968 36 7,932
1935 7,825 32 7,793
1934 7,906 36 7,870
1933 7,391 31 7,360
1932 7,394 32 7,362
1931 6,624 24 6,600
1930 5,999 21 5,978
1929 5,156 17 5,139
1928 4,484 14 4,470
1927 4,001 9 3,992
1926 3,016 8 3,008
1925 2,434 5 2,429
1924 2,135 10 2,125
1923 1,578 0 1,578
1922 1,349 0 1,349
1921 1,111 0 1,111
1920 959 0 959
1919 774 0 774
1918 746 0 746
1917 652 0 652
1916 606 0 606
1915 483 0 483
1914 283 0 283
1913 266 0 266
1912 227 0 227
1911 149 0 149
1910 107 0 107
1909 123 0 123
1908 98 0 98
1907 100 0 100
1906 84 0 84
1905 59 0 59
1904 61 0 61
1903 78 0 78
1902 55 0 55
1901 53 0 53
1900 79 0 79
1899 52 0 52
1898 52 0 52
1897 53 0 53
1896 40 0 40
1895 44 0 44
1894 44 0 44
1893 42 0 42
1892 43 0 43
1891 37 0 37
1890 33 0 33
1889 41 0 41
1888 37 0 37
1887 38 0 38
1886 29 0 29
1885 26 0 26
1884 22 0 22
1883 21 0 21
1882 19 0 19
1881 15 0 15
1880 17 0 17

Top States for Donna (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 19
43%
TX 9
20%
OH 6
14%
NV 5
11%
NY 5
11%