Girl
Donna
lady
About Donna
Donna represents classic American naming tradition with vintage charm that's experiencing renewed appreciation. This straightforward, no-nonsense name conveys reliability and warmth without pretension. Donna has a friendly, neighborly quality that makes people feel immediately comfortable. The name's simplicity is its superpower—everyone can spell it, everyone can pronounce it, and it carries no cultural baggage or confusion. While it peaked in popularity decades ago, Donna now offers retro appeal for parents seeking names off the current trending charts. The name works across all age groups without seeming dated or juvenile. Donna pairs excellently with more elaborate middle names, providing solid grounding for fancier choices. Its two syllables create a crisp, clear sound that projects confidence and approachability in equal measure.
Popularity of the Name Donna
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #407 | ||||
| 1881 | #437 | ||||
| 1882 | #420 | ||||
| 1883 | #413 | ||||
| 1884 | #429 | ||||
| 1885 | #406 | ||||
| 1886 | #402 | ||||
| 1887 | #349 | ||||
| 1888 | #404 | ||||
| 1889 | #380 | ||||
| 1890 | #449 | ||||
| 1891 | #408 | ||||
| 1892 | #406 | ||||
| 1893 | #416 | ||||
| 1894 | #419 | ||||
| 1895 | #427 | ||||
| 1896 | #458 | ||||
| 1897 | #398 | ||||
| 1898 | #427 | ||||
| 1899 | #404 | ||||
| 1900 | #376 | ||||
| 1901 | #412 | ||||
| 1902 | #416 | ||||
| 1903 | #362 | ||||
| 1904 | #413 | ||||
| 1905 | #440 | ||||
| 1906 | #368 | ||||
| 1907 | #354 | ||||
| 1908 | #365 | ||||
| 1909 | #324 | ||||
| 1910 | #378 | ||||
| 1911 | #324 | ||||
| 1912 | #298 | ||||
| 1913 | #291 | ||||
| 1914 | #310 | ||||
| 1915 | #268 | ||||
| 1916 | #247 | ||||
| 1917 | #243 | ||||
| 1918 | #233 | ||||
| 1919 | #225 | ||||
| 1920 | #202 | ||||
| 1921 | #189 | ||||
| 1922 | #166 | ||||
| 1923 | #156 | ||||
| 1924 | #131 | ||||
| 1925 | #110 | ||||
| 1926 | #90 | ||||
| 1927 | #70 | ||||
| 1928 | #61 | ||||
| 1929 | #47 | ||||
| 1930 | #37 | ||||
| 1931 | #32 | ||||
| 1932 | #29 | ||||
| 1933 | #24 | ||||
| 1934 | #23 | ||||
| 1935 | #23 | ||||
| 1936 | #22 | ||||
| 1937 | #21 | ||||
| 1938 | #20 | ||||
| 1939 | #20 | ||||
| 1940 | #23 | ||||
| 1941 | #20 | ||||
| 1942 | #20 | ||||
| 1943 | #17 | ||||
| 1944 | #17 | #210 | |||
| 1945 | #17 | #163 | |||
| 1946 | #13 | #120 | |||
| 1947 | #10 | #147 | |||
| 1948 | #11 | #153 | |||
| 1949 | #12 | #142 | |||
| 1950 | #13 | #109 | |||
| 1951 | #12 | #102 | |||
| 1952 | #13 | #83 | |||
| 1953 | #13 | #84 | |||
| 1954 | #11 | #71 | |||
| 1955 | #10 | #60 | |||
| 1956 | #10 | #64 | |||
| 1957 | #10 | #43 | |||
| 1958 | #10 | #38 | |||
| 1959 | #5 | #15 | |||
| 1960 | #5 | #7 | |||
| 1961 | #7 | #8 | |||
| 1962 | #7 | #9 | |||
| 1963 | #6 | #9 | |||
| 1964 | #7 | #8 | #175 | ||
| 1965 | #7 | #6 | #153 | ||
| 1966 | #12 | #11 | #165 | ||
| 1967 | #19 | #13 | #150 | ||
| 1968 | #24 | #12 | #153 | ||
| 1969 | #26 | #12 | #145 | ||
| 1970 | #32 | #16 | #152 | ||
| 1971 | #38 | #21 | #169 | ||
| 1972 | #45 | #22 | #155 | ||
| 1973 | #55 | #26 | #142 | ||
| 1974 | #67 | #28 | #144 | ||
| 1975 | #85 | #31 | #132 | ||
| 1976 | #93 | #31 | #117 | ||
| 1977 | #113 | #39 | #116 | ||
| 1978 | #120 | #45 | #77 | ||
| 1979 | #131 | #63 | #77 | ||
| 1980 | #144 | #60 | #52 | ||
| 1981 | #167 | #65 | #43 | ||
| 1982 | #179 | #77 | #33 | ||
| 1983 | #192 | #74 | #36 | ||
| 1984 | #221 | #91 | #44 | ||
| 1985 | #219 | #141 | #38 | ||
| 1986 | #259 | #124 | #47 | ||
| 1987 | #248 | #140 | #49 | ||
| 1988 | #251 | #142 | #53 | ||
| 1989 | #270 | #116 | #49 | ||
| 1990 | #319 | #248 | #63 | ||
| 1991 | #350 | #291 | #69 | #411 | |
| 1992 | #380 | #372 | #57 | #574 | |
| 1993 | #433 | #337 | #84 | #456 | |
| 1994 | #383 | #74 | #487 | ||
| 1995 | #498 | #362 | #85 | #590 | |
| 1996 | #557 | #113 | #649 | ||
| 1997 | #554 | #472 | #134 | #530 | |
| 1998 | #567 | #544 | #148 | #664 | |
| 1999 | #632 | #641 | #166 | #748 | |
| 2000 | #661 | #716 | #204 | #803 | |
| 2001 | #699 | #220 | #829 | ||
| 2002 | #672 | #338 | |||
| 2003 | #770 | #266 | #907 | ||
| 2004 | #783 | #275 | |||
| 2005 | #834 | #285 | |||
| 2006 | #830 | #440 | |||
| 2008 | #964 | #778 | |||
| 2010 | #983 | #561 | |||
| 2007 | #474 | ||||
| 2009 | #595 | ||||
| 2012 | #518 | ||||
| 2013 | #938 | ||||
| 2014 | #906 | ||||
| 2017 | #904 | ||||
| 2020 | #852 | ||||
| 2021 | #765 | ||||
| 2024 | #755 |
Top names by country: United States · United Kingdom · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Donna
- Donata
- Donella
- Donatella
- Donette
Names Similar to Donna
Nicknames for Donna
- Don
- Donnie
- Dee
- Deedee
Famous People Named Donna
| Donna Karan | American fashion designer |
| Donna Summer | American singer and songwriter |
| Donna Tartt | American author |
| Donna Reed | American actress |
| Donna Douglas | American actress - known for her role as Elly May Clampett in "The Beverly Hillbillies" |
| Donna Brazile | American political strategist and commentator |
| Donna Air | English actress and TV presenter |
| Donna Murphy | American actress and singer |
| Donna Haraway | American author and feminist scholar |
| Donna Richardson | American fitness guru and author |
| Donna Caponi | American professional golfer |
| Donna Lopiano | American sports administrator and Title IX advocate |
| Donna Hightower | American jazz and R&B singer |
| Donna Fargo | American country singer-songwriter |
| Donna Orender | Former president of the Women's National Basketball Association - WNBA |
| Donna Cruz | Filipino actress and singer |
| Donna Rice Hughes | American author and activist |
| Donna Strickland | Canadian physicist and Nobel laureate |
| Donna Vekić | Croatian professional tennis player |
Characters Named Donna
| Donna Noble | "Doctor Who" companion |
| Donna Pinciotti | "That '70s Show" character |
| Donna Hayward | "Twin Peaks" character |
| Donna Meagle | "Parks and Recreation" character |
| Donna Sheridan | "Mamma Mia!" character |
| Donna Moss | "The West Wing" character |
| Donna Martin | "Beverly Hills, 90210" character |
| Donna Tubbs-Brown | "The Cleveland Show" character |
| Donna Troy | DC Comics character - Wonder Woman's friend |
| Donna Anna | Opera character from Mozart's "Don Giovanni" |
| Donna Keppel | "Prom Night" movie character |
| Donna Andersen | "Mulaney" TV show character |
| Donna Winston | "Sons of Anarchy" character |
| Donna Rancic | "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" character |
| Donna Lavelle | "Neighbours" character |
| Donna Dooby | "Kids in the Hall" character |
| Donna Smoak | "Arrow" character |
| Donna Ambriz | "Fresh Off the Boat" character |
| Donna Bleakman | "Clifford the Big Red Dog" character |
| Donna Emmett | "Boston Legal" character |