The first name Diana
A girl’s name from Latin meaning “goddess”.
Pronounced /daɪˈænə/ 3 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Diana means “goddess” in Latin.
Borrowed from Late Latin Diāna, short form of Latin Dīāna, derived by syncope from Old Latin Dīvāna, equivalent to dīvus + -āna; roughly akin to Proto-Italic *deiwā (“goddess”) + Proto-Indo-European *-néh₂. Originally an Old Italic divinity of light and the moon; later identified as the Roman counterpart to Greek goddess Artemis. Cognate of Attic Greek Διώνη (Diṓnē), similarly syncopated from older Ancient Greek Διϝωνη (Diwōnē), whence via Latin Diōne is derived English Dione used in various ways across astronomy, chemistry, biology, and as a given name. From the same root Proto-Indo-European *dyúh₃onh₂- also potentially cognate to English June via Latin Jūnō.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 165 girls were named Diana, making it the 275th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2019, with 181 births (#266).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Diana with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Diana at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,277 girls born in the United States were named Diana, the 244th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1957, when 9,433 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Diana in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Diana in Czech, Danish, Estonian, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Diana
121 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Diana RossAmerican singer and actress (1944-2026)
- Diana RiggEnglish actress (1938–2020)
- Diana Wynne JonesEnglish children's fantasy writer (1934–2011)
- Diana KrallCanadian recording artist; jazz singer and pianist, born 1964
- Diana TaurasiAmerican basketball player (born 1982)
- Diana GabaldonAmerican author (born 1952)
- Diana DorsEnglish actress, 1931–1984
- Diana AbgarArmenia ambassador (1859–1937)
- Diana HacıyevaAzerbaijani singer-songwriter, born 1989
- Diana WynyardEnglish actress (1906-1964)
- Diana MuldaurAmerican actress, born 1938
- Diana LynnAmerican actress (1926-1971)
More Latin girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Diana mean?
- Diana means “goddess” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Diana?
- Borrowed from Late Latin Diāna, short form of Latin Dīāna, derived by syncope from Old Latin Dīvāna, equivalent to dīvus + -āna; roughly akin to Proto-Italic *deiwā (“goddess”) + Proto-Indo-European *-néh₂. Originally an Old Italic divinity of light and the moon; later identified as the Roman…
- How popular is the name Diana?
- In 2025, 165 girls born in England and Wales were named Diana, ranking 275th. Its peak was 2019, with 181 births.
- Is Diana a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 369,771 US babies named Diana since 1880 were girls.
- When was Diana most popular?
- 1957 in the United States, when 9,433 babies were named Diana, its highest rank at 43rd.
- How do you pronounce Diana?
- Diana is /daɪˈænə/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Diana?
- Deanna and Dianna.
- Is Diana also a surname?
- Yes. Diana is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.