Dena
Dena was the 4581st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 30 babies. Its best year was 1970, when it ranked 208th with 1,542 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 568 places. More babies were named Dena in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Dina) form of Dinah; "judged, vindicated" · Hebrew, Italian
- Rank in 2025
- #4,581 girls, down 8 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 30girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19701,542 babies
- Total since 1880
- 32,535babies recorded
What does the name Dena mean?
Dena is a spelling of Dina, pronounced the same way, so it shares Dina's meaning and origin.
Dina has two main sources. It is the form of the biblical Dinah, Jacob's daughter (Genesis 30:21), from Hebrew Dinah, "judged" or "vindicated". It is also a short form of longer names, such as Italian names ending in -dina (Bernardina, Claudina). Dina was most popular in the US in the 1960s and 1970s.
דִּינָה (Biblical Hebrew, “Dinah, "judged, vindicated"”)
How sure is this? Probable. Dina may be the biblical Dinah or a short form of other names.
Related names: Dinah, Deena, Dena, Adina.
See also: Hebrew names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Dina', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Dinah', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Hebrew Bible, Genesis 30:21, JPS Tanakh (Gender-Sensitive Edition) via Sefaria, Sefaria
Dena popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 56 since 1964.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,581 | 30 |
| 2020 | #4,573 | 29 |
| 2010 | #3,266 | 50 |
| 2000 | #1,832 | 94 |
| 1990 | #957 | 196 |
| 1980 | #416 | 530 |
| 1970 | #208 | 1,542 |
| 1960 | #355 | 739 |
| 1950 | #589 | 205 |
| 1940 | #835 | 73 |
| 1930 | #802 | 78 |
| 1920 | #743 | 95 |
| 1910 | #783 | 30 |
| 1900 | #463 | 53 |
| 1890 | #470 | 31 |
| 1880 | #474 | 13 |
How popular is Dena, counting every spelling?
Dena is a spelling of Dina, a name family that ranked #1,122 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #4,581 for Dena on its own. Together these spellings went to 198 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dina | 168 | #1,327 | 932 |
| Dena | 30 | #4,581 | 153 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Dena?
30 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Dena (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Dena born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 280 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Dena.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Dena?
About 26,100 people born in the US named Dena are alive today, with a median age of 56; half are between 47 and 63. That makes Dena a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Dena by state
How common Dena was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 48 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Dena: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Dena, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Dena
What does Dena mean?
Dena is a spelling of Dina, which means “form of Dinah; "judged, vindicated"” (Hebrew, Italian origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Dena?
Dena was the 4581st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 30 babies. Its best year was 1970, when it ranked 208th with 1,542 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 568 places. More babies were named Dena in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Is Dena a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Dena in the US.
Where is Dena most popular?
In 2021–2025, Dena was most common in Indiana (0.07 per 1,000 girls), followed by New Jersey and Pennsylvania.