Dana
Boy name · #4142 in 2025 · Uniqueness 82/100
In 2025, 25 baby boys were named Dana, placing it at #4142 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3085, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 72,000 boys born in 2025 was named Dana.
Babies named Dana per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Dana first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 12 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1962, when 1,799 boys were named Dana — good for #172 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dana against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dana in class?
Dana scores 82 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Dana will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dana is most common
State-level data for Dana is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Dana
Statistically, parents drawn to Dana tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Darin, Darcy, Dino, Duane, and Daren.
DarinDarcyDinoDuaneDarenMattKrisCary
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dana | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #4139 |
| 2024 | 25 | #4200 |
| 2023 | 21 | #4742 |
| 2022 | 20 | #4850 |
| 2021 | 25 | #4118 |
| 2020 | 27 | #3811 |
| 2019 | 33 | #3426 |
| 2018 | 31 | #3524 |
| 2017 | 30 | #3586 |
| 2016 | 33 | #3358 |
| 2015 | 37 | #3085 |
| 2014 | 37 | #3038 |
| 2013 | 29 | #3582 |
| 2012 | 40 | #2905 |
| 2011 | 40 | #2904 |
| 2010 | 45 | #2682 |
| 2009 | 57 | #2287 |
| 2008 | 63 | #2140 |
| 2007 | 74 | #1912 |
| 2006 | 64 | #2062 |
| 2005 | 74 | #1772 |
| 2004 | 65 | #1880 |
| 2003 | 78 | #1611 |
| 2002 | 83 | #1505 |
| 2001 | 99 | #1316 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dana a popular boy name?
Dana ranked #4142 among boys in 2025 with 25 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3085.
When was the name Dana most popular?
Dana peaked in 1962, when 1,799 American boys received the name (ranked #172 that year). Since 1962 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dana?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 72,000 newborn American boys was named Dana. It scores 82/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.