Meaning and Origin
In Britain, Donna is also used as the feminine form of the Scottish masculine name Donald. This is a Celtic name that means “mighty ruler”. However there are other meanings for this name.
One meaning of Donna is Italian for “lady” which is also used as a term of respect and originate from the masculine equivalent “Don”. The title originated from the Latin language. This is where the English language gets the title “Dame” which is the title of the wife of a knight or baron. Donna not only means “lady” but it also has been historically uses as a term of respect among nobility and other upper classes.
The Italian title is considered so prestigious even for the Virgin Mary or Madonna which means my lady.
Donna’s Popular
Currently Donna is not a particularly common baby name in Scotland according to Scottish Government statistics (815th most popular baby girls’ name in 2013).
The name Donna is one of the most interesting female names in the United States. The names popularity dates back to the late 19th century which is as far back as available records show. Donna began the 20th century at #372 on the name charts. The name Donna was climbing the name charts faster than any other female name.
In 1926 Donna landed on the top 100 best names for girls and by 1940s the name was in the top 20 best names.
Famous People with the name Donna
There are many famous people named Donna such as Donna Summer (singer), Donna Reed (actress), Donna Mills (actress), Donna Air (presenter) and many more women to mention.
Useful Resources
- Our extensive list of Scottish girls’ names.
- Expecting a baby? Get the latest deals on baby products here.