Donna is a female given name of Italian origin. It comes from the Italian word "donna," which means "lady" or "woman." The name has been used as a given name since at least the Middle Ages, and it was popularized in English-speaking countries by the Italian Renaissance.
In Italian culture, Donna is often associated with nobility and elegance. It can also be used as a title of respect for women, similar to Madame or Mrs. In literature, one of the most famous examples of the name Donna is in the novel "Donna Tartt" by Elizabeth Wurtzel.
Overall, Donna is a classic and elegant name that carries with it a sense of Italian heritage and sophistication. It's a timeless choice for parents looking for a traditional yet unique name for their daughter.
The statistics provided show the annual number of births with the name Donna in the United States from 1880 to 2023. The name first appeared as a popular choice for parents in the late 19th century, with around 17 babies named Donna born each year between 1880 and 1890.
The early 20th century saw a steady increase in the number of Donna births, reaching a significant milestone in 1946 when 19,767 girls were named Donna. This was the peak of popularity for the name during this period.
After the 1950s, there was another surge in popularity for the name Donna, with over 30,000 births each year between 1954 and 1962. However, from the mid-1960s onwards, the number of Donna births began to decline.
By the late 1970s, fewer than 3,000 girls were being named Donna each year in the United States. This trend continued into the 1980s and 1990s, with less than 2,000 births per year on average.
In recent years, the name Donna has become increasingly rare, with fewer than 200 babies named Donna born each year since 2016. Despite this decline in popularity, there were still a total of 831,431 girls named Donna born in the United States between 1880 and 2023. This indicates that while the name may not be as popular today as it once was, it remains an enduring choice for parents over more than a century.