Dashonna
A feminine name with uncertain origins, possibly combined from Dasha and Shawna.
Name Census estimates that about 59 living Americans carry the first name Dashonna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dashonna today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dashonna births was 1993 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dashonna. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dashonna. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
59
~ 1 in 5,809,396 Americans
Peak year
1993
9 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2004 SSA rank
#16,756
Tracked since 1984
Popularity
Dashonna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dashonna from the 1980s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 33 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Dashonna remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dashonna 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 Dashonna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dashonna
The given name Dashonna is a relatively modern name with its origins rooted in a combination of two different cultural influences. The first part of the name, "Da," is believed to be derived from the French word "de," meaning "of" or "from." This prefix was commonly used in French surnames to indicate one's place of origin or heritage.
The second part of the name, "shonna," is thought to have its roots in the African American community. It bears a resemblance to the name "Shawna," which is a variant of the Irish name "Siobhán," meaning "God is gracious." However, the inclusion of the letter "d" in Dashonna suggests a unique evolution within the African American naming tradition.
While there are no definitive historical records or ancient texts that mention the name Dashonna directly, its blend of French and African American influences reflects the cultural diversity and resilience of marginalized communities throughout history. The name's emergence can be seen as a testament to the creativity and adaptability of these groups in forging their own identities and naming practices.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Dashonna are relatively recent, dating back to the late 20th century. One notable individual bearing this name is Dashonna Davenport, an American actress and model born in 1987. She has appeared in several television shows and films, including "The Bold and the Beautiful" and "The Game."
Another individual named Dashonna is Dashonna Williams, an American singer and songwriter born in 1991. She has released several singles and has collaborated with various artists in the R&B and hip-hop genres.
Dashonna Stephens, born in 1988, is an American basketball player who played for the WNBA's San Antonio Stars and the Chicago Sky. Her athletic achievements have brought recognition to the name Dashonna within the sports world.
In the realm of literature, Dashonna Traywick is an American author and educator born in 1982. She has written several children's books and is known for her work in promoting literacy and education among underprivileged communities.
Lastly, Dashonna Booker, born in 1995, is an American track and field athlete who has competed in various national and international competitions, specializing in the long jump and triple jump events.
While the name Dashonna may be relatively new, its unique blend of cultural influences and the accomplishments of those who bear it have contributed to its growing recognition and significance within contemporary naming traditions.
People
Dashonna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dashonna as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dashonna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dashonna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 59 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dashonna 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 5,809,396 US residents.
Is Dashonna a common name?
We classify Dashonna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 56.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 61 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dashonna most popular?
The single biggest year for Dashonna was 1993, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dashonna is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Dashonna in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dashonna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dashonna 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.
Is Dashonna still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dashonna in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Dashonna can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Dashonna?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.