♀ Female◎ Arabic / English / Persian / Slavic / Romanian◈ 2 syllables
"From Denmark, gift, or wise"
From Arabic / English / Persian / Slavic / Romanian
Dana means wise or Danish — from the Celtic Danu (the mother goddess of Irish mythology) or the Old English (from Denmark). Dana Scully is one of TV's most iconic characters — The X-Files' skeptic who became a role model for women in STEM. Dana Carvey is one of SNL's greatest performers. Four letters of the Celtic mother-goddess, Scully-level STEM inspiration, and the most skeptical FBI agent.
Celtic Danu (mother goddess) or Old English (Danish)→Dana
1
Arabic / English / Persian / Slavic / Romanian roots
Dana comes from the Celtic Danu (mother goddess of Irish mythology) or Old English (Danish). Dana Scully (The X-Files) inspired the Scully Effect — women entering STEM because of her character.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Celtic/English origins; Dana Scully (The X-Files, 1993).
3
Today
Dana remains a beloved choice, ranking #970 in the US. 246,572 babies have been named Dana since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Dana?
1971peak year
Dana has settled into a steady rhythm — neither rising sharply nor fading, holding a consistent place in U.S. birth records. It currently ranks around #970, with about 302 babies named Dana each year. In 1971, 6,934 babies were named Dana (ranked #44 nationally). Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 246,572.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Dana's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — Scully-level seeking. People named Dana tend to be wise, skeptical, and gifted at inspiring entire generations into science.
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