Dana as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Dana

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The baby name Dana is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdeɪnə/ (DAY-nuh); also heard as /ˈdænə/ or /ˈdɑːnə/ in some accents.

Dana is Arabic, English, Hebrew, Persian, Slavic in Origin.

Gender: Unisex

Syllables: 2.0

Origin: Arabic, English, Hebrew, Persian, Slavic

Pronunciation: /ˈdeɪnə/ (DAY-nuh); also heard as /ˈdænə/ or /ˈdɑːnə/ in some accents

What is the meaning of the name Dana ?

The baby name Dana is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdeɪnə/ (DAY-nuh); also heard as /ˈdænə/ or /ˈdɑːnə/ in some accents.

Dana is Arabic, English, Hebrew, Persian, Slavic in Origin.

Dana is a widely cross-cultural given name with layered origins. In Hebrew it functions as a feminine form of Dan/Daniel, conveying “judge” or “God is my judge.” In Gulf Arabic دانة (Dāna) denotes a “large, precious pearl.” Persian and Kurdish Dânâ/Dana mean “wise, learned.” Across Central and Eastern Europe it serves as a short form of Daniela, Danuta, or Bohdana; in Czech and Slovak it also stands alone. Irish dána is the adjective “bold,” sometimes associated with the name.

In the English-speaking world Dana began as a New England surname turned masculine given name in the 18th–19th centuries, later becoming strongly unisex and trending feminine from the 1960s onward. Notable bearers span both genders, from actor Dana Andrews to actress Dana Delany. Variant spellings include Dayna and Danah; related diminutives or cognates include Daniela, Danuta, and Bohdana. Overall connotations range from wisdom and judgment to pearl-like value and boldness.

Dana has the following similar or variant Names

Dana Delany Actor · Born 1956 · United States Dana Delany is an American actress best known for playing Colleen McMurphy on the TV drama China Beach. She broke out with that role and won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1989 and 1992.	Dana Andrews Actor · Born 1909 · United States Dana Andrews was an American actor best known as a major star of film noir in the 1940s. He is especially remembered for films like Laura, The Best Years of Our Lives, and Where the Sidewalk Ends, and he later also appeared in Westerns and character roles well into the 1980s.	Dana Zátopková Athlete · Born 1922 · Czech Republic Dana Zátopková was a Czech athlete best known for her achievements in javelin throw. She won the gold medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and a silver medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Her career was marked by her remarkable skill and dedication to the sport.
Dana Snyder Actor · Born 1973 · United States Dana Snyder is an American actor and comedian best known for voicing Master Shake on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. He has also appeared in Squidbillies and The Thundermans.	Dana Gould Actor · Born 1964 · United States Dana Gould is best known as a stand-up comedian and writer for The Simpsons. He’s also an actor and voice artist who voiced Gex in the Gex games and has appeared on HBO, Showtime, and Comedy Central.	Dana Hill Actor · Born 1964 · United States Dana Hill was an American actress best known for playing Audrey Griswold in National Lampoon's European Vacation. She also appeared in Shoot the Moon and Cross Creek.

Dana Wynter

Actor · Born 1931 · United States

Dana Wynter was a German-born British actress best known for her role in the sci-fi classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers. She also appeared in films like Sink the Bismarck! and On the Double, and worked steadily in film and television for more than 40 years starting in the 1950s.

Dana Ivey

Actor · Born 1941 · United States

Dana Ivey is an American retired actress best known for her acclaimed work on Broadway. She won the 1997 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for Sex and Longing and The Last Night of Ballyhoo.

Dana Vávrová

Actor · Born 1967 · Germany

Dana Vávrová was a Czech-German actress best known as one of Germany’s most popular film stars in the 1980s and early 1990s. She appeared in movies including Der große Bellheim, Burning Secret, and Emil and the Detectives.

Dana Elcar

Actor · Born 1927 · United States

Dana Elcar was an American character actor best known for playing Peter Thornton on MacGyver. He also appeared as Sheriff George Patterson on Dark Shadows and acted in around 40 films and many television roles over a long career.

Dana Davis

Actor · Born 1978 · United States

Dana Davis is best known for playing Monica Dawson on Heroes. She’s an American actress and novelist who also appeared as Chastity Church on 10 Things I Hate About You and Carmen Phillips on Franklin & Bash, and she has done extensive voice acting work as well.

Dana Ashbrook

Actor · Born 1967 · United States

Dana Ashbrook is an American actor best known for playing Bobby Briggs in Twin Peaks and the film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. Born on May 24, 1967, he returned to the role in the 2017 revival of Twin Peaks.

Dana Barron

Actor · Born 1966 · United States

Dana Barron is an American actress best known for playing the original Audrey Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation. She later returned to the role in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure, which aired on NBC.

Dana

Actor · Born 1986 · South Korea

Dana may refer to multiple people or things with the same name.

Dana Fuchs

Actor · Born 1976 · United States

Dana Fuchs is best known as an American singer-songwriter who blends Southern rock, soul, roots, and blues. She also played Sadie in the film Across the Universe, a performance The New York Times praised as "triumphal."

Dana Powell

Actor · Born 1974 · United States

Dana Powell is best known for playing Pam Tucker, Cam’s sister, on Modern Family. She’s an American comic actress who appeared on the show from 2013 to 2019.

Dana – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country	Gender	Year	Rank	Born	of
Ireland	Girls	2025	#1	—	874
Germany	Girls	2025	#1	—	411
IL	Girls	0	#6	5,354	11,648
PS	Girls	0	#7	3,449	10,981
KZ	Girls	0	#9	3,116	5,862
KW	Girls	0	#10	2,808	19,177
KZ		0	#11	126	1,452
BI		0	#12	1	425
HT		0	#12	1	399
IL		0	#12	806	6,291
PS		0	#14	401	5,692
KR	Girls	0	#15	1	572
ET	Girls	0	#16	1	372
JO	Girls	0	#16	2,658	7,570
QA	Girls	0	#17	703	15,378
CZ	Girls	0	#20	5,868	5,378
HN		0	#22	1	704
IR	Girls	0	#23	6,056	8,334
KR	Boys	0	#27	1	897
MD		0	#30	5	434
BN		0	#32	1	2,297
NA		0	#33	1	2,537
TM	Girls	0	#35	1	574
EE		0	#37	1	1,051
JO		0	#37	129	2,158
HN	Girls	0	#38	1	884
AE	Girls	0	#40	1,227	20,968
MT		0	#41	3	1,767
SA	Girls	0	#43	4,533	25,931
IQ		0	#48	99	3,533
IQ	Boys	0	#50	4,524	13,071
MO		0	#52	1	2,706
CZ		0	#55	349	3,154
IR		0	#55	354	4,221
CY		0	#56	5	1,632
MD	Girls	0	#58	38	865
LU		0	#59	8	2,830
KW		0	#62	55	5,216
QA		0	#64	37	7,011
AL		0	#73	4	2,372
AZ	Girls	0	#75	1	1,051
JP		0	#75	3	4,057
MV	Boys	0	#78	2	3,375
SI		0	#79	2	1,612
BG		0	#80	3	1,799
CN		0	#80	7	3,857
RS		0	#82	3	923
PH		0	#84	13	5,607
LT		0	#87	2	949
JM		0	#90	4	3,714
CY	Girls	0	#91	31	3,755
AF	Girls	0	#94	1	2,402
TW		0	#97	7	4,523
AE		0	#100	78	10,220
ID	Girls	0	#101	2	3,319
SD		0	#101	2	2,130
RS	Girls	0	#102	34	1,651
OM		0	#105	12	6,215
GE	Boys	0	#110	1	2,055
BN	Girls	0	#112	3	5,459
LT	Girls	0	#113	106	1,904
HU		0	#115	1	1,675
BH		0	#116	724	17,937
EC		0	#118	4	2,502
ID	Boys	0	#122	10	4,130
SY		0	#122	2,254	11,684
Norway	Girls	2025	#123	4	453
IQ	Girls	0	#126	704	11,303
Switzerland	Girls	2024	#128	8	1,786
EE	Girls	0	#129	10	1,888
CY	Boys	0	#131	1	3,473
GR		0	#132	4	3,911
CR		0	#133	26	5,526
MT	Girls	0	#134	18	3,773
PA		0	#134	5	3,797
MU		0	#135	3	3,613
BN	Boys	0	#137	3	6,332
OM	Girls	0	#143	283	15,987
LB		0	#145	1,120	13,263
LT	Boys	0	#147	5	2,166
PR	Girls	0	#149	13	3,171
BW	Girls	0	#150	2	4,216
LU	Girls	0	#150	36	4,850
RU	Girls	0	#152	740	11,913
BW	Boys	0	#154	1	4,685
Germany	Girls	0	#156	2,443	4,949
SI	Girls	0	#157	18	2,769
AR		0	#161	26	2,915
PL	Girls	0	#166	359	5,096
RU		0	#167	23	3,641
Sweden	Girls	2022	#169	11	1,568
SA		0	#171	126	10,560
HU	Boys	0	#173	2	3,954
UY		0	#175	8	2,477
PR	Boys	0	#178	1	2,508
HR		0	#179	3	2,081
Sweden	Boys	2022	#181	2	1,509
GR	Girls	0	#191	52	6,293
PL		0	#191	22	2,600
Belgium	Girls	2004	#192	24	405
AL	Girls	0	#193	30	4,141
Austria		0	#193	21	850
DK		0	#193	11	5,198
JM	Girls	0	#194	66	7,507
EC	Girls	0	#201	39	3,650
HU	Girls	0	#202	22	3,308
BG	Girls	0	#208	16	3,559
SI	Boys	0	#211	1	3,402
AO	Girls	0	#215	3	4,575
HR	Girls	0	#219	71	3,687
BG	Boys	0	#220	1	3,850
SD	Girls	0	#226	121	7,678
Austria	Girls	0	#228	234	1,885
JP	Girls	0	#235	11	6,592
NA	Girls	0	#235	3	7,146
BD		0	#237	5	5,992
MO	Girls	0	#238	14	7,056
CO	Girls	0	#239	3,187	16,140
Canada	Girls	2024	#244	42	2,795
CN	Girls	0	#245	107	8,829
EC	Boys	0	#246	1	3,322
GH		0	#246	3	5,396
PT		0	#248	3	4,161
AO	Boys	0	#249	1	5,568
KZ	Boys	0	#249	41	6,578
EG	Girls	0	#250	2,001	14,742
TW	Boys	0	#250	7	7,111
Germany		0	#252	205	2,542
NA	Boys	0	#253	1	6,830
TW	Girls	0	#255	22	8,139
DK	Girls	0	#258	59	7,429
SG		0	#258	12	11,010
HR	Boys	0	#259	1	3,997
GR	Boys	0	#267	7	6,912
NG		0	#271	2	5,926
CZ	Boys	0	#283	22	6,530
PA	Girls	0	#286	208	9,861
PE		0	#288	23	6,350
AR	Girls	0	#289	471	8,289
JM	Boys	0	#289	5	6,876
IT	Girls	0	#291	5,243	9,415
Finland		0	#296	12	830
GT		0	#296	19	5,948
JO	Boys	0	#299	79	7,057
AL	Boys	0	#302	2	5,122
JP	Boys	0	#302	2	7,909
PH	Girls	0	#306	86	13,098
CN	Boys	0	#310	10	9,639
Canada	Boys	2021	#311	5	2,600
MY		0	#317	14	12,352
Spain	Girls	0	#318	1,314	5,561
MU	Girls	0	#319	33	8,539
NL		0	#320	72	2,481
BO		0	#321	61	6,868
YE		0	#327	55	8,639
EG		0	#328	74	6,387
DK	Boys	0	#329	4	7,401
BO	Girls	0	#331	344	9,488
GH	Girls	0	#334	4	6,973
NL	Girls	0	#335	1,010	5,933
HK		0	#337	12	8,483
PL	Boys	0	#337	4	6,459
MX		0	#339	75	8,339
CR	Girls	0	#342	198	11,342
France	Girls	2021	#344	62	3,185
France	Boys	1987	#348	3	1,663
LY		0	#351	195	12,703
MX	Girls	0	#354	2,201	17,781
BR		0	#356	5	5,969
Finland	Girls	0	#358	34	1,368
GH	Boys	0	#359	3	8,138
BD	Girls	0	#365	22	8,413
MU	Boys	0	#367	3	8,477
CL		0	#379	33	6,867
PT	Boys	0	#381	1	7,951
UY	Girls	0	#383	130	6,731
Spain		0	#390	63	2,326
CO		0	#402	79	7,768
PH	Boys	0	#403	6	11,440
Finland	Boys	0	#410	18	2,041
UY	Boys	0	#411	3	5,922
PT	Girls	0	#412	40	7,952
GT	Girls	0	#413	93	7,500
PE	Girls	0	#421	815	14,861
ZA		0	#422	26	14,421
SD	Boys	0	#430	16	10,523
IR	Boys	0	#442	112	10,162
AR	Boys	0	#456	12	7,628
RU	Boys	0	#461	45	12,621
IT		0	#464	269	4,183
PS	Boys	0	#469	80	10,655
CR	Boys	0	#471	17	10,188
SG	Girls	0	#476	111	18,916
GT	Boys	0	#498	2	7,625
CM	Girls	0	#499	42	11,671
PA	Boys	0	#499	7	9,305
IL	Boys	0	#540	68	10,983
HK	Girls	0	#545	71	16,104
CL	Girls	0	#551	325	14,098
HK	Boys	0	#556	2	12,905
CM	Boys	0	#567	9	12,054
Finland	Girls	2026	#593	153	3,895
BD	Boys	0	#600	6	10,045
BO	Boys	0	#615	8	9,244
IN	Girls	0	#620	12	13,121
KW	Boys	0	#620	150	18,755
Finland	Boys	2026	#650	33	3,552
QA	Boys	0	#658	50	18,093
SG	Boys	0	#680	18	17,960
United States	Girls	2024	#688	230	8,487
CL	Boys	0	#697	4	13,390
EG	Boys	0	#706	183	15,035
TN		0	#714	116	13,765
MA		0	#741	417	20,986
NG	Girls	0	#752	35	15,093
DZ		0	#760	443	20,130
OM	Boys	0	#812	70	17,948
MY	Girls	0	#814	181	24,821
CO	Boys	0	#836	85	15,656
PE	Boys	0	#858	21	14,506
United States	Boys	2024	#868	25	7,044
Spain	Boys	0	#892	39	5,610
NL	Boys	0	#895	57	5,873
Germany	Boys	0	#897	56	5,697
BR	Girls	0	#899	43	12,708
MY	Boys	0	#927	186	25,439
MX	Boys	0	#929	54	16,355
NG	Boys	0	#937	15	16,906
ZA	Girls	0	#967	175	25,928
IN	Boys	0	#972	30	16,750
AE	Boys	0	#991	102	22,615
TR		0	#1,031	181	19,440
ZA	Boys	0	#1,048	131	25,619
SA	Boys	0	#1,285	331	28,008
IT	Boys	0	#1,346	126	10,046

Dana is popular in 97 countries — most recent births per country:

France

Scotland, United Kingdom

Canada

Norway

Ireland

Switzerland

United States

Sweden

Germany

Wallonia, Belgium

Belgium

Flanders, Belgium

Brussels, Belgium

New York City (Hispanic), United States

Austria

Germany

Spain

Finland

New York City (White, non-Hispanic), United States

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