Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1952

Donella

Gender Girl Rank 2025 #15,532
Rank 2025
#15,532
among girls
Babies in 2025
5
named Donella
How common
1 in 321,453
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1952
51 babies
All-time total
1,823
#5,006 all-time among girls
First recorded
1910
in Social Security records

Donella popularity over time

1,823 babies have been named Donella since 1910, 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
0.010.020.030.0418801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1970Girls

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 Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 53 5 – #2,427
1920s 161 16 +204% #1,799
1930s 146 15 -9% #1,815
1940s 244 24 +67% #1,439
1950s 312 31 +28% #1,336
1960s 305 31 -2% #1,759
1970s 333 33 +9% #1,764
1980s 183 18 -45% #3,541
1990s 69 7 -62% #5,482
2000s 6 1 -91% #15,953
2010s 6 1 0% #14,283
2020s (to 2025) 5 1 +39% #15,532

The story of Donella

Donella is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #15,532 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1910, 1,823 American babies have been named Donella. Its peak came in 1952, when 51 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

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 Donella stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Donella?

The median living Donella is about 57 years old; half are between 48 and 71. An estimated 1,300 people named Donella are alive in the United States today.

median 57 020406080100

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

Donella year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 5 #15,532
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 6 #14,283
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 6 #15,953
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 6 #12,196
1990 13 #6,572
1985 11 #6,148
1980 20 #3,882
1975 21 #3,305
1970 51 #1,764
1965 19 #2,861
1960 27 #2,258
1955 25 #2,170
1950 47 #1,336
1945 19 #1,948
1940 17 #1,981
1935 13 #2,335
1930 18 #1,959
1925 21 #1,908
1920 9 #3,397
1915 12 #2,427
1910 5 #2,506
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Donella

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

  1. 1 Donella Meadows American environmental scientist, teacher, and writer 1941–2001 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Donella?

The median living Donella is about 57 years old. Half of all living Donellas are between 48 and 71 years old.

How many people named Donella are alive today?

An estimated 1,300 people named Donella are alive in the United States, based on 1,823 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Donella in 2025?

Donella ranked #15,532 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Donella?

1,823 babies have been named Donella in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Donella most popular?

Donella peaked in 1952, when 51 newborns received the name.

Is Donella a boy or girl name?

Donella is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Donella rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Donella?

Well-known people named Donella include Donella Meadows (chemist).

Names like Donella

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

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