Where does the name Dawn come from?

Dawn is a girl name of English origin.

Is Dawn a boy or a girl name?

Dawn is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Dawn are girls and 0% are boys.

How popular is the name Dawn in 2023?

Dawn ranks #2340 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1970 with 15,724 babies.

How do you pronounce Dawn?

Dawn is pronounced DAWN (1 syllable).

A name from English · Girl

Dawn

An English word name from Old English dagung, 'daybreak' — first used as a given name in the late 19th century. Peaked in 1970s America as part of the wave of nature/virtue word names.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 135-year arc in numbers.

289,448 U.S. births recorded from 1888–2023.

Popularity · 1888–2023

78 births in 2023

1888 1955 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

DAn English word name from Old English dagung, 'daybreak' — first used as a given name in the late 19th century. Peaked in 1970s America as part of the wave of nature/virtue word names.

Variants & spellings

1 ways to spell "Dawn".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Dawne Most common

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Dawn.

D
Dawn French (comedian)
D
Dawn Staley (basketball coach)

Quick answers

People often ask about Dawn.

What does the name Dawn mean?: Dawn means an English word name from Old English dagung, 'daybreak' — first used as a given name in the late 19th century. Peaked in 1970s America as part of the wave of nature/virtue word names.
Where does the name Dawn come from?: Dawn is a girl name of English origin.
Is Dawn a boy or a girl name?: Dawn is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Dawn are girls and 0% are boys.
How popular is the name Dawn in 2023?: Dawn ranks #2340 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1970 with 15,724 babies.
How do you pronounce Dawn?: Dawn is pronounced DAWN (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Dawn?: Dawn is also written as Dawne.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.