 Destiny by John William Waterhouse (1900) | |
| Gender | Primarily feminine |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Word/name | English |
| Meaning | "destiny, fate", to determine |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Hessa (name), Moira (given name) |
Destiny is a primarily feminine given name meaning "destiny", "fate", which is ultimately derived from the Late Latin word destinata. Commonly used spelling variants include Destinee, Destiney, and Destinie. [1]
The name and its variants were in use for girls by the 1800s in the United States. Destiny, spelling variant Destiney, and variants Destie, Destin, Destina, and Destine were recorded in U.S. census records from 1845 to 1923. [2]
It has been a popular name in the United States, where it was ranked in the top 50 names given to baby girls between 1997 and 2008. It has since declined in use but remains among the top 500 names given to American girls. It has been among the top 1,000 names for girls born in England and Wales since 1996. It peaked in usage there between 2008 and 2010. It was among the top 100 names for girls born in New Zealand between 2000 and 2002, and for girls born in some Canadian provinces in 2001. It was also among the top 509 names for girls born in the Netherlands between 2008 and 2016. [3]
