Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 2022

Danai

Gender Girl · 1% boys Rank 2025 #8,998
Rank 2025
#8,998
among girls · ↓1,312 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
11
named Danai
How common
1 in 146,115
girls born in 2025
Peak year
2022
23 babies
All-time total
431
#13,006 all-time among girls
First recorded
1975
in Social Security records

Danai popularity over time

431 babies have been named Danai since 1975, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s – 5 5 1 – –
1980s 16 – 16 2 +220% #9,292
1990s 85 – 85 9 +431% #7,725
2000s 116 – 116 12 +36% #6,860
2010s 111 – 111 11 -4% #6,787
2020s (to 2025) 98 – 98 16 +47% #5,506

The story of Danai

Danai is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #8,998 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1975, 431 American babies have been named Danai. Its peak came in 2022, when 23 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Danai stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Danai?

The median living Danai is about 16 years old; half are between 6 and 25. An estimated 400 people named Danai are alive in the United States today.

median 16 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Danai year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 11 #8,998 – –
2024 14 #7,686 – –
2023 15 #7,336 – –
2022 23 #5,506 – –
2021 17 #6,756 – –
2020 18 #6,394 – –
2019 17 #6,787 – –
2018 14 #7,865 – –
2017 15 #7,544 – –
2016 11 #9,571 – –
2015 11 #9,638 – –
2014 8 #12,209 – –
2013 – – – –
2012 8 #12,493 – –
2011 15 #7,891 – –
2010 12 #9,369 – –
2009 12 #9,533 – –
2008 7 #14,198 – –
2007 16 #7,822 – –
2006 13 #8,846 – –
2005 10 #10,318 – –
2004 17 #6,860 – –
2003 10 #9,844 – –
2002 8 #11,374 – –
2001 13 #7,843 – –
2000 10 #9,323 – –
1995 8 #9,797 – –
1990 8 #9,464 – –
1985 – – – –
1980 – – – –
1975 – – 5 #5,639
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Danai

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Danai Gurira Danai Gurira Zimbabwean-American actress (born 1978) Contemporary
  2. 2 Danai Udomchoke Danai Udomchoke Thai tennis player b. 1981 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Danai, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Danai?

The median living Danai is about 16 years old. Half of all living Danais are between 6 and 25 years old.

How many people named Danai are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Danai are alive in the United States, based on 431 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Danai in 2025?

Danai ranked #8,998 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 11 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Danai?

431 babies have been named Danai in the United States since 1975, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Danai most popular?

Danai peaked in 2022, when 23 newborns received the name.

Is Danai a boy or girl name?

Danai is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Danai rising or falling?

Danai is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Danai?

Well-known people named Danai include Danai Gurira (actor), Danai Udomchoke (tennis player).

Names like Danai

Names that sound and feel close to Danai: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Danai with similar names → More names starting with D →