Dewanna
A shortened form of Deborah, with an uncertain meaning but often interpreted as "bee".
Name Census estimates that about 604 living Americans carry the first name Dewanna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dewanna today is around 54 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dewanna births was 1957 (30 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dewanna. 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
604
~ 1 in 567,474 Americans
Peak year
1957
30 babies that year
Average age
54
years old
1997 SSA rank
#10,052
Tracked since 1930
Popularity
Dewanna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dewanna from the 1930s through to the 1990s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 208 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
Dewanna 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 Dewanna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dewannas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Dewanna
The name Dewanna has its origins in the Arabic language, with roots that can be traced back to the 7th century AD. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "duwan," which means "book" or "collection." This suggests that the name may have been associated with scholars or literary figures in its early origins.
In the early centuries of Islam, during the Golden Age of the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258 AD), the name Dewanna gained popularity among Arab intellectuals and writers. It was a time when the study of literature, poetry, and the arts flourished, and the name may have been chosen to represent a connection to this rich cultural heritage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dewanna can be found in the works of the renowned Arab poet and scholar, Abu Nuwas (756-814 AD). He was a celebrated figure in the literary circles of Baghdad and is known for his contribution to Arabic poetry and his unconventional lifestyle.
As the centuries passed, the name Dewanna continued to be used across various regions of the Arab world, from North Africa to the Middle East. It became associated with a sense of refinement, intellect, and a love for knowledge and literature.
During the 12th century, a notable figure named Dewanna al-Qaysi was a well-known calligrapher and poet in Andalusia (present-day Spain). Her exquisite calligraphy works and poetic verses were highly regarded during her time, and she played a significant role in preserving the artistic and literary traditions of the region.
In the 14th century, Dewanna al-Mawsiliyya was a renowned musician and singer from Mosul, Iraq. She was celebrated for her exceptional vocal talents and her ability to compose intricate melodies and lyrics. Her legacy lived on through the preservation of her musical compositions, which were widely appreciated and studied by subsequent generations of musicians.
Another notable figure bearing the name Dewanna was Dewanna al-Baghdadi, a prominent scholar and mathematician who lived in Baghdad during the 16th century. She made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and was respected for her vast knowledge and intellectual prowess.
As the name Dewanna traveled across different cultures and regions, it adapted to various spellings and pronunciations. However, its connection to literature, knowledge, and artistic expression remained a common thread throughout its history.
People
Dewanna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dewanna 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
Dewanna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dewanna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 604 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dewanna 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 567,474 US residents.
Is Dewanna a common name?
We classify Dewanna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 727 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dewanna most popular?
The single biggest year for Dewanna was 1957, when 30 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dewanna is about 54 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dewanna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dewanna 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.