Entry № 0607 · Hebrew, English origin

Dana Dana — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ DAY-nah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Hebrew, English
Meaning
"Judgment / God is my judge (Dana Delany; Queen Latifah's birth name)"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 0
First recorded
Modern (English)

A name that means "judgment / god is my judge (dana delany; queen latifah's birth name)".

Dana is the English feminine of Daniel — from the Hebrew *Daniyyel* ("God is my judge") — used as a unisex name in 20th-century America. **A top-50 US baby name (girls) from 1968 to 1980, peaking at #36 in 1969**. **Dana Delany (born 1956)** — **American actress; two Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for *China Beach* (1989, 1992) as Colleen McMurphy — making her one of only a few actresses to win two consecutive Lead Drama Emmys for the same role**; *Desperate Housewives* (2007-2010), *Body of Proof* (2011-2013), *Hand of God* (2014-2017). **Dana Owens (born 1970)** — **Queen Latifah's birth name; American rapper, singer, and actress; Academy Award nomination for *Chicago* (2002) Best Supporting Actress as Mama Morton; SAG Lifetime Achievement Award (2021)**. **Dana Plato (1964-1999)** — Kimberly Drummond on NBC's *Diff'rent Strokes* (1978-1986). **Dana Carvey** is male. **Dana Walden** — co-chair of Disney Entertainment (one of the highest-ranking women in American media). **Dana Loesch** — American political commentator. **Dana Scully** — covered separately under Gillian Anderson (Scully's first name was Dana Katherine Scully).

Featured throughout American culture from the 1970s through today.

Judgment. Two consecutive Emmys for China Beach; Queen Latifah's birth name.

The name in its native script.

Dana
Transliteration
Dana
Pronunciation
/ ˈdeɪ.nə /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Dana stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 0 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 36 in 1969
Babies named Dana · last year
105 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1940
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · #36 NOW · —

Danas before her.

Real people
Dana Delany
American Emmy actress.
born 1956
Queen Latifah
American Oscar-nominated rapper.
born 1970
Dana Plato
American actress.
1964 – 1999
Dana Walden
American media executive.
born 1964
In fiction
Colleen McMurphy
China Beach.
1988

Names connected to Dana.

The number behind Dana.

1

The Pioneer

Dana reduces to one — the number of China Beach.

Why families chose this name.

"Delany's judgment. Four letters. Dana."
Catherine · Mother of one · New York