Pronunciation | UK: /ˈdɑːnə/ DAHN-ə US: /ˈdeɪnə/ DAYN-ə |
---|---|
Gender | Unisex |
Origin | |
Word/name | Multiple |
Meaning | Pearl, wise, arbiter, God is my judge, generous, short for Bogdana, Yordana or Daniela |
Region of origin | Global |
Other names | |
Related names | Dena |
Dana is a unisex given name. It was among the 100 most popular names given to girls born in the United States between 1960 and 1990. It has since fallen in popularity and was ranked the 446th most popular name given to girls born in the United States in 2007. [1] As a male forename it is well known in the United States, being in the 314th rank out of 1,219 in the 1990 U.S. Census.
The name has multiple derivations. Dana or Danah, in Arabic, means 'the most perfectly sized, valuable and beautiful pearl'. [2] This name is used mainly by Arab states of the Persian Gulf (Eastern Arabia), due to their traditional pearl diving professions wherein they gave different type of pearls names. In Persian, the word Dānā literally means 'wise', and some speculate that the name is first used as a first name in Shahnameh . [3] The name is used in Persian for both female and male sexes.
It may also refer to the mountain Dana or Dena. It may also come from Dane (from Denmark), the meaning of the common surname. It is also occasionally regarded as a feminine version of Daniel or a short version of feminine names such as Bogdana or Yordana. In Hebrew, the name Dana is the feminine form of Dan, and means 'arbiter' or 'God is my judge'. In Romanian and Czech, it is a feminine name, derived from the name Daniela; the masculine form being Dan/Daniel. In Sanskrit and Pali, the word means 'generosity'. The Sanskrit word was then used as a loanword in the Malay language and retranslated to 'fund' or 'alms'. As part of a nationwide campaign to assist Bruneian orphans financially, the Bruneian government in 1998 announced the name Dana as an official acronym for Dana Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah bagi Anak-Anak Yatim (Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah's Fund for Orphans). The name Dana itself is used in Brunei, particularly after the 2000s.
The name Dana has multiple pronunciations around the world, therefore multiple regions may have different pronunciations. [4] [5] [6]
Alexandra is a female given name of Greek origin. It is the first attested form of its variants, including Alexander. Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb ἀλέξειν and ἀνήρ. Thus it may be roughly translated as "defender of man" or "protector of man". The name Alexandra was one of the epithets given to the Greek goddess Hera and as such is usually taken to mean "one who comes to save warriors". The earliest attested form of the name is the Mycenaean Greek 𐀀𐀩𐀏𐀭𐀅𐀨, written in the Linear B syllabic script. Alexandra and its masculine equivalent, Alexander, are both common names in Greece as well as countries where Germanic, Romance, and Slavic languages are spoken.
Danielle is a modern French female variant of the male name Daniel, meaning "The God(dess)" in the French language.
Renée is a French feminine given name and surname.
Sarah is a common feminine given name of Hebrew origin. It derives its popularity from the biblical matriarch Sarah, the wife of Abraham and a major figure in the Abrahamic religions. It is a consistently popular given name across Europe, North America, and the Middle East — being commonly used as a female first name by Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike, and remaining popular also among non-religious members of cultures influenced by these religions.
Megan is a Welsh feminine given name, originally a diminutive form of Margaret. Margaret is from the Greek μαργαρίτης (margarítēs), Latin margarīta, "pearl". Megan is one of the most popular Welsh-language names for women in Wales and England, and is commonly truncated to Meg.
Paul is a common Latin masculine given name in countries and ethnicities with a Christian heritage and, beyond Europe, in Christian religious communities throughout the world. Paul – or its variations – can be a given name or surname.
Natalie or Nathaly is a feminine given name derived from the Latin phrase natale domini, meaning "birth of the Lord". Further alternative spellings of the name include Nathalie, Natalee, and Natalia/Natalija.
Tina is a largely feminine given name that originated as a diminutive for names ending in -tina such as Christina. Teena and Tena are modern English variant spellings of Tina. Tiina is an Estonian and Finnish variant. Tine is a Danish and Norwegian variant. Its masculine counterpart is Tino, Tin, or the Slovene Tine.
Monica is a female given name with many variant forms, including Mónica, Mônica, Monique (French), Monika, Moonika (Estonia), and Mónika (Hungarian).
Diana is a feminine given name of Latin and Greek origins, referring to the Roman goddess Diana, goddess of the hunt and the moon.
Adriana, also spelled Adrianna, is a Latin name and feminine form of Adrian. It originates from present day Italy and Spain.
Jennifer, also spelled Jenifer or Jenefer, is a feminine given name, the Cornish form of Guinevere, that became popular in the English-speaking world in the 20th century.
Evan is a Welsh masculine given name, derived from Iefan, a Welsh form of the name John. Similar names that share this origin include Euan, Ivan, Ian, and Juan. "John" itself is derived from the ancient Hebrew name יְהֹוחָנָן, meaning "Yahweh is gracious". Evan can also occasionally be found as a shortened version of Greek names like Evangelos, Evander, or Evandro. While predominantly male, the name is occasionally given to women, as with the actress Evan Rachel Wood. It may also be encountered as a surname, although Evans is a far more common form within this context.
Maya is a primarily feminine name in various languages with various meanings. Originally from Sanskrit, the ancient Indian language, Māyā means "illusion or magic", and is an alternate name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
Heather is an English primarily feminine given name. The botanical name refers to a variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers which commonly grow in rocky areas. The brush is native to Scotland and England, but it is more commonly found in Scotland due to its rocky territories. The name is derived from Middle English hather. The spelling was altered in the 18th century due to associations with the English word heath, denoting a location where the plant heather often grows.
Stacy, sometimes spelled Stacey, Staci, Stacie, or Stacii, is a common first name for women and men. It is also sometimes used as a surname.
Veronica is a female given name, a Latin alteration of the ancient Macedonian name Berenice (Βερενίκη), which in turn is derived from the Macedonian form of the Attic Greek Φερενίκη, Phereníkē, or Φερονίκη, Pheroníkē, from φέρειν, phérein, to bring, and νίκη, níkê, "victory", i.e. "she who brings victory".