Ladonna
A girl's name with 21,227 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
When Ladonna hit its peak of 612 births in 1964, post-war optimism and the baby boom were producing the largest generation of Americans in history, and naming trends reflected that era’s values of stability and tradition.
Today, Ladonna reads as a classic with deep American roots — which is exactly what draws some parents to it.
Ladonna is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Ladonna is a girl's baby name of Italian origin, combining the Italian la (the) with donna (woman, lady), effectively meaning 'the lady.' It was embraced in mid-20th century America as an elegant, Latinate-sounding coinage.
Ladonna found particular popularity in the American South and in African-American communities during the 1940s through 1960s. It has a stately, melodic sound with a touch of old-world elegance.
EtymologyShow more
Ladonna is built from 7 letters and three syllables — a mid-length form that balances memorability with distinctiveness.
The interplay of consonants and vowels in Ladonna creates its characteristic open, warm quality. Multi-syllable names often carry remnants of compound constructions — two or more meaningful elements fused together — even when the original components are no longer transparent to modern speakers.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Ladonna has 115+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1903.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 10 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 93 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 197 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 658 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 2,496 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 3,867 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 5,422 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 3,790 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 2,293 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 1,587 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 630 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 162 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 22 | — |
The Story of Ladonna
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1964, Ladonna is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Ladonna are most likely born between 1954 and 1974.
How rare is Ladonna?
Ladonna has 21,227 recorded births in the U.S. — a well-established name with deep roots.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1903, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1960s with 5,422 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Ladonna by the numbers
- More Ladonnas than the population of a small U.S. town
- Would fill 442 school buses
- Meeting one Ladonna per day would take 58.2 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(115 years, 1903–2021)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 | #16589 |
| 2020 | 5 | #16440 |
| 2019 | 7 | #13176 |
| 2018 | 6 | #14840 |
| 2017 | 7 | #13469 |
| 2016 | 11 | #9775 |
| 2015 | 11 | #9852 |
| 2014 | 13 | #8747 |
| 2013 | 6 | #15679 |
| 2012 | 8 | #12875 |
| 2011 | 6 | #15896 |
| 2010 | 18 | #7079 |
| 2009 | 17 | #7536 |
| 2008 | 11 | #10468 |
| 2007 | 18 | #7269 |
| 2006 | 12 | #9643 |
| 2005 | 19 | #6418 |
| 2004 | 18 | #6648 |
| 2003 | 19 | #6193 |
| 2002 | 21 | #5586 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ladonna a boy's or girl's name?
When was Ladonna most popular?
How popular is the name Ladonna?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1903–2021