Fun Facts About the Name Donna
- Decades of popularity: Donna stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 51 consecutive years, from 1926 through 1976.
- More than 833 thousand babies named Donna: U.S. records list 833,867 babies given the name Donna from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,233 boys received the name Donna - about 1 boy for every 372 girls.
What Does the Name Donna Mean?
Donna means "lady" or "woman" and comes from Italian. The Italian word donna descends from Latin domina, the feminine of dominus ("lord" or "master"). The oldest sense is therefore "mistress" in its earlier meaning: a woman with authority over a household, or a woman addressed with respect. In Italian, donna serves both as the everyday word for "woman" and as a polite title.
The same Latin domina also produced Spanish doña, Portuguese dona, and French dame. English Donna was taken over directly from the Italian word; it is not a shortened form of a longer English name, and despite the similar sound it has no etymological connection to Donald, which comes from Scottish Gaelic.
Donna Name History & Origins
Latin domina was a term of respect for a woman of standing, and it continued into Italian as donna. Italian also built the compound madonna from ma donna ("my lady"), a title applied to the Virgin Mary and later to paintings of her. Through Italian art, travel, and religious vocabulary, English speakers met Donna as a title and as an element in Madonna before it gained ground as a personal name.
Donna entered English given-name use in the 19th century, supported by familiarity with Italian language and culture and by Italian immigration to Britain and the United States. It was well established in English-speaking countries by the 20th century, and it also appears in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions in the cognate forms Doña and Dona, which are normally honorific titles rather than given names.
How Popular is the Name Donna?
Donna remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1926 to 1976. Its highest annual birth count was in 1959, and people born that year turn 67 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 | #1,965 | 98 | 0.0061% |
| 2024 | #1,941 | 102 | 0.0063% |
| 2023 | #1,986 | 99 | 0.0062% |
| 2022 | #1,953 | 101 | 0.0062% |
| 2021 | #1,887 | 105 | 0.0064% |
| 2020 | #1,552 | 136 | 0.0084% |
| 2019 | #1,763 | 116 | 0.0069% |
| 2018 | #1,556 | 139 | 0.0082% |
| 2017 | #1,716 | 124 | 0.0072% |
| 2016 | #1,760 | 118 | 0.0067% |
| 2015 | #1,441 | 160 | 0.0090% |
| 2014 | #1,410 | 162 | 0.0091% |
| 2013 | #1,329 | 176 | 0.0100% |
| 2012 | #1,275 | 188 | 0.0107% |
| 2011 | #1,204 | 199 | 0.0113% |
| 2010 | #983 | 258 | 0.0145% |
| 2009 | #1,009 | 262 | 0.0143% |
| 2008 | #967 | 277 | 0.0147% |
| 2007 | #1,015 | 261 | 0.0136% |
| 2006 | #830 | 325 | 0.0171% |
| 2005 | #834 | 305 | 0.0165% |
| 2004 | #782 | 331 | 0.0180% |
| 2003 | #770 | 323 | 0.0177% |
| 2002 | #672 | 376 | 0.0209% |
| 2001 | #699 | 355 | 0.0197% |
| 2000 | #661 | 370 | 0.0204% |
| 1999 | #632 | 373 | 0.0210% |
| 1998 | #567 | 433 | 0.0245% |
| 1997 | #554 | 422 | 0.0242% |
| 1996 | #557 | 420 | 0.0240% |
| 1995 | #498 | 492 | 0.0280% |
| 1994 | #383 | 662 | 0.0371% |
| 1993 | #433 | 581 | 0.0321% |
| 1992 | #378 | 680 | 0.0369% |
| 1991 | #350 | 739 | 0.0394% |
| 1990 | #319 | 861 | 0.0454% |
| 1989 | #270 | 992 | 0.0538% |
| 1988 | #251 | 1,040 | 0.0584% |
| 1987 | #248 | 1,031 | 0.0593% |
| 1986 | #259 | 992 | 0.0578% |
| 1985 | #219 | 1,191 | 0.0692% |
| 1984 | #221 | 1,181 | 0.0701% |
| 1983 | #193 | 1,378 | 0.0825% |
| 1982 | #179 | 1,530 | 0.0904% |
| 1981 | #167 | 1,700 | 0.1019% |
| 1980 | #144 | 2,009 | 0.1210% |
| 1979 | #131 | 2,199 | 0.1370% |
| 1978 | #120 | 2,459 | 0.1605% |
| 1977 | #113 | 2,581 | 0.1683% |
| 1976 | #93 | 3,032 | 0.2069% |
| 1975 | #85 | 3,422 | 0.2347% |
| 1974 | #67 | 4,354 | 0.2967% |
| 1973 | #55 | 5,058 | 0.3469% |
| 1972 | #45 | 6,256 | 0.4112% |
| 1971 | #38 | 8,014 | 0.4817% |
| 1970 | #32 | 9,969 | 0.5703% |
| 1969 | #26 | 11,447 | 0.6785% |
| 1968 | #24 | 12,749 | 0.7772% |
| 1967 | #19 | 14,787 | 0.8956% |
| 1966 | #12 | 17,037 | 1.0068% |
| 1965 | #7 | 19,700 | 1.1161% |
| 1964 | #7 | 23,807 | 1.2564% |
| 1963 | #6 | 25,406 | 1.3182% |
| 1962 | #7 | 25,722 | 1.3079% |
| 1961 | #7 | 28,674 | 1.4207% |
| 1960 | #5 | 34,138 | 1.6884% |
| 1959 | #5 | 36,469 | 1.8023% |
| 1958 | #10 | 26,955 | 1.3400% |
| 1957 | #10 | 28,042 | 1.3714% |
| 1956 | #10 | 29,852 | 1.4869% |
| 1955 | #10 | 27,941 | 1.4290% |
| 1954 | #11 | 27,428 | 1.4124% |
| 1953 | #13 | 24,226 | 1.2877% |
| 1952 | #13 | 23,716 | 1.2789% |
| 1951 | #12 | 24,075 | 1.3368% |
| 1950 | #13 | 21,629 | 1.2626% |
| 1949 | #12 | 22,056 | 1.2892% |
| 1948 | #11 | 22,033 | 1.2977% |
| 1947 | #10 | 23,518 | 1.3266% |
| 1946 | #13 | 19,767 | 1.2580% |
| 1945 | #17 | 15,398 | 1.1780% |
| 1944 | #17 | 15,173 | 1.1432% |
| 1943 | #17 | 14,914 | 1.0689% |
| 1942 | #20 | 12,986 | 0.9614% |
| 1941 | #20 | 10,446 | 0.8646% |
| 1940 | #23 | 9,232 | 0.8073% |
| 1939 | #20 | 9,371 | 0.8545% |
| 1938 | #20 | 9,693 | 0.8784% |
| 1937 | #21 | 8,887 | 0.8352% |
| 1936 | #22 | 7,932 | 0.7624% |
| 1935 | #23 | 7,793 | 0.7432% |
| 1934 | #23 | 7,870 | 0.7537% |
| 1933 | #24 | 7,360 | 0.7302% |
| 1932 | #29 | 7,362 | 0.6899% |
| 1931 | #32 | 6,600 | 0.6199% |
| 1930 | #37 | 5,978 | 0.5309% |
| 1929 | #47 | 5,139 | 0.4603% |
| 1928 | #61 | 4,470 | 0.3876% |
| 1927 | #70 | 3,992 | 0.3348% |
| 1926 | #90 | 3,008 | 0.2538% |
| 1925 | #110 | 2,429 | 0.1995% |
| 1924 | #131 | 2,125 | 0.1702% |
| 1923 | #156 | 1,578 | 0.1308% |
| 1922 | #166 | 1,349 | 0.1123% |
| 1921 | #189 | 1,111 | 0.0901% |
| 1920 | #202 | 959 | 0.0800% |
| 1919 | #225 | 774 | 0.0685% |
| 1918 | #233 | 746 | 0.0644% |
| 1917 | #243 | 652 | 0.0603% |
| 1916 | #247 | 606 | 0.0580% |
| 1915 | #268 | 483 | 0.0491% |
| 1914 | #310 | 283 | 0.0372% |
| 1913 | #291 | 266 | 0.0426% |
| 1912 | #298 | 227 | 0.0407% |
| 1911 | #324 | 149 | 0.0356% |
| 1910 | #378 | 107 | 0.0270% |
| 1909 | #324 | 123 | 0.0354% |
| 1908 | #365 | 98 | 0.0293% |
| 1907 | #354 | 100 | 0.0314% |
| 1906 | #368 | 84 | 0.0284% |
| 1905 | #440 | 59 | 0.0202% |
| 1904 | #413 | 61 | 0.0222% |
| 1903 | #362 | 78 | 0.0298% |
| 1902 | #416 | 55 | 0.0208% |
| 1901 | #412 | 53 | 0.0221% |
| 1900 | #376 | 79 | 0.0264% |
| 1899 | #404 | 52 | 0.0223% |
| 1898 | #427 | 52 | 0.0201% |
| 1897 | #398 | 53 | 0.0226% |
| 1896 | #458 | 40 | 0.0168% |
| 1895 | #427 | 44 | 0.0188% |
| 1894 | #419 | 44 | 0.0197% |
| 1893 | #416 | 42 | 0.0197% |
| 1892 | #406 | 43 | 0.0203% |
| 1891 | #408 | 37 | 0.0199% |
| 1890 | #449 | 33 | 0.0173% |
| 1889 | #380 | 41 | 0.0230% |
| 1888 | #404 | 37 | 0.0207% |
| 1887 | #349 | 38 | 0.0260% |
| 1886 | #402 | 29 | 0.0201% |
| 1885 | #406 | 26 | 0.0195% |
| 1884 | #429 | 22 | 0.0171% |
| 1883 | #413 | 21 | 0.0187% |
| 1882 | #420 | 19 | 0.0176% |
| 1881 | #437 | 15 | 0.0163% |
| 1880 | #407 | 17 | 0.0187% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | #7,901 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #5,995 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #5,785 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #3,978 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #5,489 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #6,820 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #6,586 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #3,686 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #3,757 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #4,247 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #6,515 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #3,883 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #2,826 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1977 | #3,254 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #2,984 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1975 | #2,470 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1974 | #2,007 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 1973 | #2,066 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1972 | #1,330 | 40 | 0.0025% |
| 1971 | #1,472 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 1970 | #1,423 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 1969 | #1,506 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1968 | #1,087 | 47 | 0.0027% |
| 1967 | #987 | 54 | 0.0031% |
| 1966 | #1,045 | 49 | 0.0027% |
| 1965 | #1,034 | 51 | 0.0027% |
| 1964 | #1,062 | 51 | 0.0026% |
| 1963 | #908 | 68 | 0.0033% |
| 1962 | #904 | 71 | 0.0034% |
| 1961 | #877 | 76 | 0.0036% |
| 1960 | #862 | 78 | 0.0037% |
| 1959 | #907 | 71 | 0.0033% |
| 1958 | #1,041 | 54 | 0.0025% |
| 1957 | #990 | 59 | 0.0027% |
| 1956 | #942 | 63 | 0.0030% |
| 1955 | #1,013 | 55 | 0.0027% |
| 1954 | #1,117 | 45 | 0.0022% |
| 1953 | #1,003 | 52 | 0.0026% |
| 1952 | #1,250 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 1951 | #1,282 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1950 | #1,191 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1949 | #1,053 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 1948 | #1,039 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 1947 | #1,098 | 44 | 0.0024% |
| 1946 | #897 | 54 | 0.0033% |
| 1945 | #955 | 46 | 0.0034% |
| 1944 | #889 | 51 | 0.0037% |
| 1943 | #1,040 | 42 | 0.0029% |
| 1942 | #936 | 50 | 0.0036% |
| 1941 | #926 | 47 | 0.0038% |
| 1940 | #931 | 47 | 0.0041% |
| 1939 | #1,149 | 32 | 0.0029% |
| 1938 | #1,133 | 33 | 0.0030% |
| 1937 | #1,038 | 38 | 0.0036% |
| 1936 | #1,077 | 36 | 0.0035% |
| 1935 | #1,173 | 32 | 0.0031% |
| 1934 | #1,104 | 36 | 0.0035% |
| 1933 | #1,184 | 31 | 0.0031% |
| 1932 | #1,203 | 32 | 0.0031% |
| 1931 | #1,433 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1930 | #1,613 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1929 | #1,871 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1928 | #2,188 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1927 | #2,966 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1926 | #3,206 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1925 | #4,371 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1924 | #2,864 | 10 | 0.0009% |
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.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Donna
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Donna Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Donna's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Donna's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.