Fun Facts About the Name Diane
- An established favorite: Diane held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 35 consecutive years, from 1937 through 1971.
- More than 520 thousand babies named Diane: U.S. records list 520,040 babies given the name Diane from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,384 boys received the name Diane - about 1 boy for every 375 girls.
What Does the Name Diane Mean?
Diane is the French feminine form of Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, the moon, and wild animals. The meaning of the name is uncertain. Latin Diana is of disputed origin; ancient Roman writers connected it either with divus or dius, 'divine,' or with dies, 'day.' Both are often traced to the same Indo-European root *dyew-, 'to shine' or 'sky,' so a sense such as 'heavenly' or 'divine' is a traditional interpretation rather than a securely documented literal meaning. Diane has no separate etymology; it is the French adaptation of Diana, with the French feminine ending -e. The Greek goddess Artemis was identified with Diana in Roman religion, but the name Artemis is not related to Diana or Diane.
Diane Name History & Origins
Diana was the name of an ancient Roman goddess whose temple on the Aventine Hill in Rome was traditionally dated to the sixth century BCE. Her festival, the Nemoralia, was held at Lake Nemi. After the classical period, the name was not common in Christian Europe because of its pagan associations, though it was occasionally used; Blessed Diana d'Andalò, a thirteenth-century Italian nun, is one example. The French form Diane developed from Latin Diana. In Renaissance France, the name was borne by Diane de Poitiers (1499 - 1566), a noblewoman and mistress of King Henry II. English use of Diane comes from French; it is a distinct borrowing, while Diana is the older English and Latin form. The French and English names share the same origin but have separate histories of use.
How Popular is the Name Diane?
Diane remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1937 to 1971. Its highest annual birth count was in 1955, and people born that year turn 71 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,620 | 66 | 0.0041% |
| 2024 | #2,247 | 83 | 0.0051% |
| 2023 | #2,825 | 60 | 0.0037% |
| 2022 | #2,229 | 84 | 0.0051% |
| 2021 | #1,864 | 107 | 0.0065% |
| 2020 | #2,348 | 75 | 0.0046% |
| 2019 | #2,460 | 72 | 0.0043% |
| 2018 | #2,486 | 71 | 0.0042% |
| 2017 | #2,188 | 87 | 0.0050% |
| 2016 | #1,976 | 101 | 0.0057% |
| 2015 | #2,105 | 92 | 0.0052% |
| 2014 | #1,709 | 123 | 0.0069% |
| 2013 | #1,853 | 109 | 0.0062% |
| 2012 | #1,716 | 121 | 0.0069% |
| 2011 | #1,667 | 127 | 0.0072% |
| 2010 | #1,569 | 140 | 0.0079% |
| 2009 | #1,662 | 134 | 0.0073% |
| 2008 | #1,250 | 201 | 0.0106% |
| 2007 | #1,137 | 226 | 0.0118% |
| 2006 | #1,159 | 210 | 0.0110% |
| 2005 | #1,011 | 241 | 0.0130% |
| 2004 | #897 | 271 | 0.0148% |
| 2003 | #937 | 252 | 0.0138% |
| 2002 | #828 | 282 | 0.0157% |
| 2001 | #885 | 260 | 0.0144% |
| 2000 | #711 | 326 | 0.0180% |
| 1999 | #734 | 306 | 0.0173% |
| 1998 | #645 | 358 | 0.0203% |
| 1997 | #608 | 373 | 0.0214% |
| 1996 | #585 | 391 | 0.0223% |
| 1995 | #538 | 441 | 0.0251% |
| 1994 | #542 | 450 | 0.0252% |
| 1993 | #462 | 543 | 0.0300% |
| 1992 | #414 | 611 | 0.0331% |
| 1991 | #360 | 711 | 0.0379% |
| 1990 | #363 | 730 | 0.0385% |
| 1989 | #316 | 802 | 0.0435% |
| 1988 | #303 | 818 | 0.0459% |
| 1987 | #274 | 895 | 0.0515% |
| 1986 | #254 | 1,015 | 0.0592% |
| 1985 | #223 | 1,170 | 0.0680% |
| 1984 | #218 | 1,198 | 0.0711% |
| 1983 | #192 | 1,378 | 0.0825% |
| 1982 | #201 | 1,351 | 0.0798% |
| 1981 | #206 | 1,272 | 0.0763% |
| 1980 | #201 | 1,287 | 0.0775% |
| 1979 | #199 | 1,330 | 0.0828% |
| 1978 | #181 | 1,434 | 0.0936% |
| 1977 | #164 | 1,644 | 0.1072% |
| 1976 | #155 | 1,689 | 0.1153% |
| 1975 | #142 | 1,909 | 0.1309% |
| 1974 | #129 | 2,227 | 0.1518% |
| 1973 | #115 | 2,603 | 0.1785% |
| 1972 | #105 | 3,092 | 0.2033% |
| 1971 | #83 | 4,209 | 0.2530% |
| 1970 | #70 | 5,186 | 0.2967% |
| 1969 | #61 | 5,943 | 0.3523% |
| 1968 | #51 | 6,584 | 0.4014% |
| 1967 | #44 | 7,818 | 0.4735% |
| 1966 | #45 | 8,750 | 0.5171% |
| 1965 | #40 | 10,364 | 0.5871% |
| 1964 | #32 | 12,866 | 0.6790% |
| 1963 | #31 | 13,195 | 0.6846% |
| 1962 | #26 | 14,819 | 0.7535% |
| 1961 | #26 | 16,204 | 0.8028% |
| 1960 | #22 | 17,909 | 0.8858% |
| 1959 | #19 | 19,972 | 0.9870% |
| 1958 | #18 | 20,815 | 1.0347% |
| 1957 | #17 | 22,089 | 1.0802% |
| 1956 | #15 | 22,518 | 1.1216% |
| 1955 | #14 | 23,291 | 1.1912% |
| 1954 | #17 | 22,052 | 1.1356% |
| 1953 | #17 | 21,350 | 1.1348% |
| 1952 | #16 | 21,063 | 1.1359% |
| 1951 | #15 | 19,841 | 1.1017% |
| 1950 | #16 | 17,636 | 1.0295% |
| 1949 | #19 | 17,251 | 1.0083% |
| 1948 | #19 | 16,607 | 0.9781% |
| 1947 | #18 | 17,775 | 1.0027% |
| 1946 | #19 | 15,835 | 1.0078% |
| 1945 | #22 | 12,223 | 0.9351% |
| 1944 | #24 | 10,710 | 0.8070% |
| 1943 | #24 | 11,326 | 0.8117% |
| 1942 | #28 | 9,550 | 0.7070% |
| 1941 | #40 | 6,428 | 0.5321% |
| 1940 | #45 | 5,172 | 0.4523% |
| 1939 | #51 | 4,339 | 0.3957% |
| 1938 | #64 | 3,827 | 0.3468% |
| 1937 | #76 | 3,175 | 0.2984% |
| 1936 | #112 | 2,146 | 0.2063% |
| 1935 | #109 | 2,197 | 0.2095% |
| 1934 | #124 | 1,872 | 0.1793% |
| 1933 | #134 | 1,603 | 0.1590% |
| 1932 | #142 | 1,439 | 0.1348% |
| 1931 | #211 | 857 | 0.0805% |
| 1930 | #225 | 742 | 0.0659% |
| 1929 | #219 | 796 | 0.0713% |
| 1928 | #260 | 616 | 0.0534% |
| 1927 | #563 | 159 | 0.0133% |
| 1926 | #675 | 116 | 0.0098% |
| 1925 | #669 | 122 | 0.0100% |
| 1924 | #670 | 123 | 0.0098% |
| 1923 | #686 | 115 | 0.0095% |
| 1922 | #695 | 111 | 0.0092% |
| 1921 | #868 | 72 | 0.0058% |
| 1920 | #814 | 80 | 0.0067% |
| 1919 | #752 | 87 | 0.0077% |
| 1918 | #797 | 80 | 0.0069% |
| 1917 | #724 | 93 | 0.0086% |
| 1916 | #677 | 102 | 0.0098% |
| 1915 | #664 | 99 | 0.0101% |
| 1914 | #674 | 75 | 0.0098% |
| 1913 | #613 | 72 | 0.0115% |
| 1912 | #700 | 52 | 0.0093% |
| 1911 | #736 | 35 | 0.0084% |
| 1910 | #741 | 33 | 0.0083% |
| 1909 | #912 | 20 | 0.0058% |
| 1908 | #950 | 18 | 0.0054% |
| 1907 | #1,228 | 11 | 0.0035% |
| 1906 | #1,113 | 12 | 0.0041% |
| 1905 | #2,012 | 5 | 0.0017% |
| 1904 | #968 | 14 | 0.0051% |
| 1903 | #1,351 | 8 | 0.0031% |
| 1902 | #1,649 | 6 | 0.0023% |
| 1901 | #1,530 | 6 | 0.0025% |
| 1900 | #1,467 | 8 | 0.0027% |
| 1899 | #1,199 | 8 | 0.0034% |
| 1898 | #1,765 | 5 | 0.0019% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | #7,010 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #8,767 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #8,541 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1990 | #5,987 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #5,286 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #5,326 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #5,088 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #3,171 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1985 | #6,811 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #4,662 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #3,680 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #5,834 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #3,668 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #5,073 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1978 | #3,457 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1977 | #3,674 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1976 | #2,861 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1975 | #4,443 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #3,188 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1973 | #2,337 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1972 | #3,715 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1971 | #2,074 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1970 | #1,810 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1969 | #1,875 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1968 | #1,589 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1967 | #1,371 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1966 | #1,592 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1965 | #1,413 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1964 | #1,241 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 1963 | #1,082 | 50 | 0.0025% |
| 1962 | #1,434 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1961 | #1,328 | 36 | 0.0017% |
| 1960 | #1,255 | 39 | 0.0018% |
| 1959 | #1,086 | 51 | 0.0024% |
| 1958 | #964 | 62 | 0.0029% |
| 1957 | #1,043 | 53 | 0.0025% |
| 1956 | #1,146 | 44 | 0.0021% |
| 1955 | #1,036 | 53 | 0.0026% |
| 1954 | #1,142 | 43 | 0.0021% |
| 1953 | #1,434 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 1952 | #1,171 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 1951 | #1,311 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1950 | #1,404 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1949 | #1,390 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1948 | #1,202 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1947 | #1,219 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1946 | #1,099 | 40 | 0.0025% |
| 1945 | #1,141 | 33 | 0.0025% |
| 1944 | #1,158 | 33 | 0.0024% |
| 1943 | #1,191 | 33 | 0.0023% |
| 1942 | #1,252 | 31 | 0.0022% |
| 1941 | #1,340 | 25 | 0.0020% |
| 1940 | #1,291 | 27 | 0.0023% |
| 1939 | #1,588 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1938 | #2,366 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1937 | #1,847 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1936 | #3,243 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1935 | #3,792 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1934 | #2,437 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1933 | #3,358 | 6 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
