Donna
A 19th-century invention from the Italian noun donna; also interpreted as a feminine form of Donald.
Every Donna since 1880 — 833,874 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Donna
Donna is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,965 in 2025 with 98 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 833,874 American babies have been named Donna. Its peak came in 1959, when 36,539 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 Donna stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Donna 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 | 98 | #1,965 | — | — |
| 2024 | 103 | #1,931 | — | — |
| 2023 | 99 | #1,988 | — | — |
| 2022 | 101 | #1,955 | — | — |
| 2021 | 105 | #1,888 | — | — |
| 2020 | 137 | #1,546 | — | — |
| 2019 | 116 | #1,764 | — | — |
| 2018 | 139 | #1,558 | — | — |
| 2017 | 124 | #1,716 | — | — |
| 2016 | 118 | #1,761 | — | — |
| 2015 | 160 | #1,441 | — | — |
| 2014 | 163 | #1,403 | — | — |
| 2013 | 176 | #1,329 | — | — |
| 2012 | 188 | #1,275 | — | — |
| 2011 | 199 | #1,204 | — | — |
| 2010 | 258 | #983 | — | — |
| 2009 | 262 | #1,009 | — | — |
| 2008 | 278 | #964 | — | — |
| 2007 | 261 | #1,016 | — | — |
| 2006 | 325 | #830 | — | — |
| 2005 | 305 | #834 | — | — |
| 2004 | 331 | #783 | — | — |
| 2003 | 323 | #770 | — | — |
| 2002 | 376 | #672 | — | — |
| 2001 | 355 | #699 | — | — |
| 2000 | 370 | #661 | — | — |
| 1995 | 492 | #498 | — | — |
| 1990 | 861 | #319 | 8 | #5,995 |
| 1985 | 1,191 | #219 | 5 | #6,819 |
| 1980 | 2,009 | #144 | 5 | #6,515 |
| 1975 | 3,422 | #85 | 17 | #2,469 |
| 1970 | 9,968 | #32 | 35 | #1,423 |
| 1965 | 19,700 | #7 | 51 | #1,034 |
| 1960 | 34,138 | #5 | 78 | #862 |
| 1955 | 27,940 | #10 | 55 | #1,013 |
| 1950 | 21,629 | #13 | 37 | #1,191 |
| 1945 | 15,397 | #17 | 46 | #955 |
| 1940 | 9,232 | #23 | 47 | #931 |
| 1935 | 7,793 | #23 | 32 | #1,173 |
| 1930 | 5,978 | #37 | 21 | #1,613 |
| 1925 | 2,429 | #110 | 5 | #4,371 |
| 1920 | 959 | #202 | — | — |
| 1915 | 483 | #268 | — | — |
| 1910 | 107 | #378 | — | — |
| 1905 | 59 | #440 | — | — |
| 1900 | 79 | #376 | — | — |
| 1895 | 44 | #427 | — | — |
| 1890 | 33 | #449 | — | — |
| 1885 | 26 | #406 | — | — |
| 1880 | 17 | #407 | — | — |
Famous people named Donna
- Donna Summer Singer · 1948–2012
- Donna Reed Actor · 1921–1986
- Donna Leon Writer · b. 1942
- Donna Haraway Historian · b. 1944
- Donna Karan Fashion designer · b. 1948
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Donna mean?
A 19th-century invention from the Italian noun donna; also interpreted as a feminine form of Donald.
How popular is the name Donna in 2025?
Donna ranked #1,965 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 98 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Donna?
833,874 babies have been named Donna in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Donna most popular?
Donna peaked in 1959, when 36,539 newborns received the name.
Is Donna a boy or girl name?
Donna is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Donna rising or falling?
Donna is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Donna?
Well-known people named Donna include Donna Summer (singer), Donna Reed (actor), Donna Leon (writer).