Deana
Primarily a girl's name of Old English origin with 23,449 recorded births. Also given to 14 boys.
Meaning & Origin
Among U.S. girl's names, Deana currently holds position #8042. It is known but far from saturated — a name that registers without repeating.
With records stretching from 1905 to 2024, Deana has over 119 years of American history behind it — long enough to have been worn by great-grandparents and potentially rediscovered by today’s parents.
In the most recent SSA release, Deana ranks #8042 among U.S. girl names — distinctive enough to stand out.
Deana is a girl's and boy's baby name of Old English origin, a feminine variant of Dean — from the Old English denu, meaning 'valley,' or from the title meaning 'leader of ten.' Deana can also be seen as a variant of Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt.
With over 23,000 recorded U.S. births, Deana has remarkable staying power — a name that carries both natural beauty and quiet authority, equally at home in a meadow or a boardroom.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Deana is rooted in the Old English tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1905 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
With 23,449 recorded U.S. births, Deana has clearly resonated across communities. Names that reach this level of adoption typically carry a sound that works in multiple accents and cultural contexts — a kind of phonetic universality.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Deana was #1929 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #8042, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 70 | #7951 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 324 | #4773 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 986 | #1967 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 1,665 | #1119 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 2,775 | #680 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 7,074 | #359 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 6,792 | #371 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 2,407 | #627 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 859 | #872 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 279 | #1710 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 145 | #2503 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 68 | #2964 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 5 | #2007 | — |
The Story of Deana
A Gen X name
Peaking in 1970, Deana is a Gen X staple. Girls named Deana are most likely born between 1960 and 1980.
How rare is Deana?
Only about 1 in every 276,923 babies born in 2024 was named Deana — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1905, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1970s with 7,074 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Deana by the numbers
- More Deanas than the population of a small U.S. town
- Would fill 489 school buses
- Meeting one Deana per day would take 64.2 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(113 years, 1905–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | #8042 |
| 2023 | 9 | #10504 |
| 2022 | 14 | #7729 |
| 2021 | 15 | #7349 |
| 2020 | 19 | #6132 |
| 2019 | 20 | #6033 |
| 2018 | 17 | #6872 |
| 2017 | 23 | #5555 |
| 2016 | 35 | #4182 |
| 2015 | 25 | #5334 |
| 2014 | 28 | #4927 |
| 2013 | 29 | #4792 |
| 2012 | 57 | #2982 |
| 2011 | 42 | #3678 |
| 2010 | 48 | #3373 |
| 2009 | 79 | #2430 |
| 2008 | 91 | #2190 |
| 2007 | 92 | #2164 |
| 2006 | 86 | #2231 |
| 2005 | 85 | #2167 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Deana as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Deana has also been given to 14 boys in the U.S. since 1971.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Deana a boy's or girl's name?
When was Deana most popular?
How popular is the name Deana?
Can Deana be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1905–2024