Daun
Primarily a girl's name of Old English origin with 778 recorded births. Also given to 27 boys.
Meaning & Origin
a town, the administrative seat of Vulkaneifel district, Eifel, northern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Daun is a girl's and boy's baby name of Old English origin, a variant spelling of Dawn, from the Old English dagung, meaning 'daybreak' or 'the first light of morning.' Dawn as a given name evokes the beauty and promise of the earliest moments of a new day.
Daun's unusual spelling gives the nature name a more distinctive visual identity. Dawn was popular in mid-twentieth-century America, and Daun represents a phonetic variant that appeared in records during that period. The meaning — new beginnings, first light — gives it a timeless, optimistic quality.
EtymologyShow more
In the American context, Daun is a girl's name with several decades of recorded use (1933–2001). Its Old English roots connect it to a broader naming tradition, but in practice, American usage often reshapes names — adding nicknames, shifting pronunciation, and building new associations that diverge from the original cultural context.
Though no longer in the top 1,000, Daun’s 778 recorded births mean it has left a mark. Every name carries the accumulated identity of the people who have worn it — and Daun has decades of that history.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Daun has 45+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1933.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 24 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 155 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 286 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 186 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 96 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 25 | — |
The Story of Daun
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1964, Daun is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Daun are most likely born between 1954 and 1974.
How rare is Daun?
With 778 total births on record, Daun remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1933, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1960s with 286 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Daun by the numbers
- Would fill 16 school buses
- Meeting one Daun per day would take 2.1 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(45 years, 1933–2001)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 6 | #13958 |
| 1982 | 8 | #7642 |
| 1981 | 5 | #10788 |
| 1980 | 11 | #6003 |
| 1979 | 14 | #4891 |
| 1978 | 7 | #7802 |
| 1977 | 6 | #8697 |
| 1976 | 10 | #5680 |
| 1975 | 8 | #6634 |
| 1974 | 14 | #4280 |
| 1973 | 19 | #3368 |
| 1972 | 17 | #3584 |
| 1971 | 31 | #2438 |
| 1970 | 29 | #2530 |
| 1969 | 31 | #2306 |
| 1968 | 28 | #2312 |
| 1967 | 35 | #1984 |
| 1966 | 25 | #2414 |
| 1965 | 33 | #2037 |
| 1964 | 35 | #2021 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Daun as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Daun has also been given to 27 boys in the U.S. since 1930.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Daun a boy's or girl's name?
When was Daun most popular?
How popular is the name Daun?
Can Daun be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1933–2001