Daniela is a feminine given name derived from the Hebrew masculine name Daniel, meaning "God is my judge" or "God has judged." The name Daniel finds its origins in the Old Testament, where it belonged to the Biblical prophet Daniel, who lived during the Babylonian captivity around the 6th century BC.

The name Daniela first emerged as an Italian variant of the name Daniel during the Middle Ages. It later spread to other Romance languages, such as Spanish, Portuguese, and French, where it took forms like Daniella, Danielle, and Danièle. In these languages, the name became popular during the Renaissance period, particularly in Italy and Spain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Daniela can be found in the 13th century Italian text "Vita Nuova" by the renowned poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321). In this work, Dante mentions a woman named Daniela degli Scrovigni, who was believed to be a member of a noble family from Padua.

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Daniela. One of the most famous was Daniela da Prato (1347-1395), an Italian nun and mystic who was canonized by the Catholic Church in 1828. Another notable Daniela was Daniela Fernandez (1608-1678), a Spanish painter and engraver who achieved recognition for her religious works during the Baroque period.

In more recent times, the name Daniela has been associated with several prominent figures, including Daniela Bianchi (born 1942), an Italian actress and model who played the iconic role of Tatiana Romanova in the 1963 James Bond film "From Russia with Love." Another notable Daniela was Daniela Dessì (1957-2012), an Italian operatic soprano who performed in many of the world's leading opera houses.

Other famous Danielas include Daniela Samulski (1953-2020), a Polish Olympic swimmer who won multiple medals in the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games, and Daniela Hantuchová (born 1983), a retired Slovak professional tennis player who reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the world.