The first name Donna
A girl’s name from Italian.
Pronounced /ˈdɑnə/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Italian origin
A 19th-century invention from the Italian noun donna; also interpreted as a feminine form of Donald.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Donna last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 3 girls. It peaked in 1996, with 69 births (#441).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Donna with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Donna at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 98 girls born in the United States were named Donna, the 1,965th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1959, when 36,468 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.
Donna in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Donna in Polish too.
Famous people named Donna
50 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Donna StricklandCanadian physicist, Nobel laurate, born 1959
- Donna SummerAmerican singer (1948–2012)
- Donna TarttAmerican writer, born 1963
- Donna ReedAmerican film and television actress, 1921–1986
- Donna HarawayAmerican philosopher, scholar in the field of science and technology studies (born 1944)
- Donna VekićCroatian tennis player, born 1996
- Donna KaranAmerican fashion designer (born 1948)
- Donna LeonAmerican crime novelist (born 1942)
- Donna MurphyAmerican actress, singer, born 1959
- Donna DouglasAmerican actress (1933-2015)
- Donna MillsAmerican actress, born 1940
- Donna de VaronaAmerican swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, former world record-holder, television sportscast, born 1947
More Italian girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Donna mean?
- A 19th-century invention from the Italian noun donna; also interpreted as a feminine form of Donald.
- What is the origin of the name Donna?
- A 19th-century invention from the Italian noun donna; also interpreted as a feminine form of Donald.
- How popular is the name Donna?
- In 2024, 3 girls born in England and Wales were named Donna, ranking 5,891st. Its peak was 1996, with 69 births.
- Is Donna a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 833,874 US babies named Donna since 1880 were girls.
- When was Donna most popular?
- 1959 in the United States, when 36,468 babies were named Donna, its highest rank at 5th.
- How do you pronounce Donna?
- Donna is /ˈdɑnə/, 2 syllables.
- Is Donna also a surname?
- Yes. Donna is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.