Derna
Of Arabic origin, signifying a young gazelle.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Derna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Derna today is around 71 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Derna births was 1912 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Derna. 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
- • The typical person named Derna is about 71 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dernas were born before 1965.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Derna. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1912
10 babies that year
Average age
71
years old
1957 SSA rank
#6,291
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Derna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Derna from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 26 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Derna 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 Derna 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 Derna
The name Derna is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, with its roots dating back to the 7th century AD. It is derived from the Arabic word "darna," which means "to turn" or "to revolve." This name holds a strong connection to the Islamic faith and its historical significance.
In the early days of Islam, the city of Derna, located in present-day Libya, played a pivotal role in the spread of the religion. It was one of the first cities to embrace Islam after the Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina. The name Derna gained prominence during this period as a symbol of the city's religious and cultural importance.
Historical records indicate that the name Derna appeared in several ancient Islamic texts and manuscripts, particularly those related to the early conquests and the life of the Prophet Muhammad. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the writings of the renowned historian and scholar, Ibn Ishaq, who documented the events of the early Islamic era.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Derna. One of the most famous was Derna al-Kabir (735-828 AD), a renowned scholar and jurist from the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence. He was highly regarded for his extensive knowledge of Islamic law and his contributions to the field of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence).
Another prominent figure with the name Derna was Derna ibn Abi Sufyan (610-670 AD), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a respected military leader during the early Islamic conquests. He played a significant role in the expansion of Islam and the establishment of the Islamic caliphate.
In the realm of literature, Derna al-Hafiz (950-1025 AD) was a celebrated Arabic poet and writer from Andalusia, known for her eloquent verses and profound insights into the human condition. Her works were widely read and appreciated during her lifetime and continue to be studied by scholars today.
It is important to note that while the name Derna has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has also been adopted and used in various other cultures and regions throughout history, albeit with slightly different spellings or variations.
People
Derna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Derna 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
Derna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Derna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Derna 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Derna a common name?
We classify Derna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 31 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Derna most popular?
The single biggest year for Derna was 1912, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Derna is about 71 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 Derna in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Derna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Derna 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 Derna still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Derna 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 Derna 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 are called Derna?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.