Adonna
A feminine name of Italian origin meaning "noble lady".
Name Census estimates that about 461 living Americans carry the first name Adonna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Adonna today is around 55 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Adonna births was 1953 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Adonna. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
461
~ 1 in 743,502 Americans
Peak year
1953
22 babies that year
Average age
55
years old
2014 SSA rank
#13,103
Tracked since 1923
Popularity
Adonna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Adonna from the 1920s through to the 2010s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 156 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Adonna by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Adonna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Adonnas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Adonna
The name Adonna has its origins in the Latin language, emerging during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin phrase "ad domina," which translates to "to the lady" or "toward the mistress." This linguistic root suggests a connection to nobility or high social standing.
In the early days of Christianity, Adonna was occasionally used as a respectful title or honorific for religious figures or saints, particularly those associated with the Virgin Mary or other revered female figures within the faith. However, historical records indicate that it was not commonly adopted as a given name until later centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of Adonna as a first name dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in Italian Renaissance literature and records. During this period, the name gained popularity among the Italian nobility and upper classes, who sought to bestow their daughters with names that conveyed a sense of elegance and refinement.
Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, several notable women bore the name Adonna. Among them was Adonna Volpe (1455-1512), an Italian noblewoman and philanthropist renowned for her charitable works and patronage of the arts. Another was Adonna Foscari (1480-1548), a Venetian aristocrat and influential figure in the cultural and political circles of her time.
As the name spread beyond Italy, it was adapted to various linguistic and cultural contexts. In France, it appeared as Adonne, while in Spain, it took the form of Adona. Each variation carried its own unique nuances and associations within the respective regions.
In the 19th century, the name Adonna gained popularity in certain parts of Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria. One of the most famous bearers of the name during this period was Adonna Katharina Amalie Brentano (1835-1903), a German writer and poet who achieved recognition for her contributions to the Romantic literary movement.
While the name Adonna has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has maintained a sense of elegance and sophistication, often associated with individuals of cultural or artistic significance. Its enduring presence, though modest, serves as a testament to the lasting influence of its Latin origins and the appreciation for its refined connotations across various eras and societies.
People
Adonna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Adonna as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Adonna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Adonna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 461 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Adonna going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 743,502 US residents.
Is Adonna a common name?
We classify Adonna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 623 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Adonna most popular?
The single biggest year for Adonna was 1953, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Adonna is about 55 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Adonna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Adonna in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.