Dawn
Girl name · #2174 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
In 2025, 85 baby girls were named Dawn, placing it at #2174 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1996, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 21,176 girls born in 2025 was named Dawn.
The 137-year story
Dawn first appears in the Social Security records in 1888, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1970, when 15,681 girls were named Dawn — good for #16 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.
Babies named Dawn per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dawn against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dawn in class?
Dawn scores 69 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 Dawn will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dawn is most common
Geography matters for names, and Dawn is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Dawns were TX (12), CA (8), FL (7), GA (6), WA (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Dawn
Statistically, parents drawn to Dawn tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dina, Tracy, Dena, Tina, and Lynn.
DinaTracyDenaTinaLynnDeannaGinaSonya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dawn | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 85 | #2173 |
| 2024 | 108 | #1852 |
| 2023 | 78 | #2336 |
| 2022 | 100 | #1961 |
| 2021 | 96 | #2007 |
| 2020 | 83 | #2170 |
| 2019 | 86 | #2155 |
| 2018 | 100 | #1968 |
| 2017 | 105 | #1917 |
| 2016 | 85 | #2247 |
| 2015 | 99 | #1996 |
| 2014 | 94 | #2071 |
| 2013 | 78 | #2344 |
| 2012 | 90 | #2115 |
| 2011 | 94 | #2058 |
| 2010 | 92 | #2136 |
| 2009 | 113 | #1866 |
| 2008 | 114 | #1865 |
| 2007 | 122 | #1760 |
| 2006 | 130 | #1627 |
| 2005 | 125 | #1615 |
| 2004 | 157 | #1352 |
| 2003 | 200 | #1100 |
| 2002 | 197 | #1077 |
| 2001 | 179 | #1161 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dawn a popular girl name?
Dawn ranked #2174 among girls in 2025 with 85 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1996.
When was the name Dawn most popular?
Dawn peaked in 1970, when 15,681 American girls received the name (ranked #16 that year). Since 1970 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dawn?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 21,176 newborn American girls was named Dawn. It scores 69/100 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.