UK girl's name
Daena
A feminine name derived from the Persian word "Dāna" meaning "wise or learned".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2007. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Daena is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Daena popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2007 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5201, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 6 births.
This profile covers 15 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 1996 to 2007. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 18 living people in the UK are called Daena. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2008 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Daena ranked #5201 for girls in England and Wales in 2007, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 6 girls were registered as Daena.
- • Daena ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #639 in 1995.
- • About 18 living people in the UK are estimated to have Daena as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5201
2007
Births in 2007
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
6 births
Estimated living
18
2026
Meaning
What does Daena mean?
The name Daena has its roots in ancient Persian culture, dating back to the 6th century BCE. It is derived from the Avestan word "daena," meaning "religion" or "divine law." This name was particularly significant in Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest surviving religions in the world.
In the Avesta, the sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, Daena is personified as a divine being, often depicted as a beautiful maiden who guides souls to the afterlife. She is associated with wisdom, righteousness, and the pursuit of truth. The name Daena was commonly used among adherents of this religion in ancient Persia, which encompassed parts of modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia.
One of the earliest known historical references to the name Daena can be found in the Achaemenid inscriptions of King Darius the Great (550-486 BCE). These inscriptions, carved in the ancient Persian cuneiform script, mention the name Daena in the context of religious teachings and principles.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Daena. One of the earliest recorded examples is Daena, a Persian princess and daughter of King Cyrus the Great (c. 600-530 BCE), who ruled the Achaemenid Empire. Another notable figure was Daena, a renowned Zoroastrian scholar and philosopher who lived in the 9th century CE during the Abbasid Caliphate.
In more recent times, Daena Gioia (1950-) is an American poet, critic, and former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, known for his efforts to revitalize poetry in American culture. Daena Borrowman (1971-) is a Canadian actress and playwright, famous for her roles in television series like "Supernatural" and "The X-Files."
Additionally, Daena Jalal (1968-) is an Iranian-American filmmaker and writer, whose works explore themes of identity, cultural clashes, and the immigrant experience. Daena McClendon (1985-) is an American professional basketball player who has competed in the WNBA and overseas leagues.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Daena throughout history, highlighting its rich cultural and religious significance, particularly in ancient Persian and Zoroastrian contexts.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Daena over time
The chart below shows babies named Daena registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2007. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Daena, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2007, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Daena by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Daena was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4600 | 6 | 2 |
| 1990s | #3087 | 9 | 2 |
Geography
Where Daena is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Daena. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Daena ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #639 in 1995.
Across the UK
Daena in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#639 in 1995
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Daena
- Daisy 49,435
- Danielle 13,507
- Darcie 11,010
- Darcy 10,516
- Darcey 9,708
- Delilah 9,098
- Demi 9,052
- Daniella 4,324
- Destiny 3,732
- Diana 3,258
- Dorothy 3,104
- Dolly 2,246
FAQ
Daena: questions and answers
How popular is the name Daena in the UK right now?
In 2007, Daena was ranked #5201 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Daena most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 6 babies registered as Daena in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Daena?
A feminine name derived from the Persian word "Dāna" meaning "wise or learned".
How many people are called Daena in the UK?
A total of 15 babies have been registered as Daena across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Daena most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Daena ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #639 in 1995. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.