Donzella
Of uncertain origin, a feminine personal name possibly derived from Italian.
Name Census estimates that about 207 living Americans carry the first name Donzella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Donzella today is around 71 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Donzella births was 1950 (52 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Donzella. 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 Donzella is about 71 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Donzellas were born before 1965.
People living today
207
~ 1 in 1,655,818 Americans
Peak year
1950
52 babies that year
Average age
71
years old
1969 SSA rank
#6,124
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Donzella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Donzella from the 1920s through to the 1960s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 185 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1950s peak, Donzella remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Donzella 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 Donzella during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Donzellas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Donzella, while Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 5 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Donzella
Donzella is a feminine given name with its origins rooted in the Italian and Spanish languages. It is derived from the Italian word "donzella," which means "young lady" or "maiden." The name is a diminutive form of the Italian word "donna," meaning "woman" or "lady."
The name Donzella can be traced back to the Middle Ages, where it was commonly used in various regions of Italy and Spain. Its earliest recorded use dates back to the 13th century, particularly in literary works and historical documents from that period.
One notable historical reference to the name Donzella can be found in Dante Alighieri's famous literary work, "The Divine Comedy," written in the early 14th century. In the poem, Dante mentions a character named Donzella who represents the personification of innocence and purity.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Donzella. One of the earliest recorded examples is Donzella di Savoia (1340-1384), a noblewoman from the House of Savoy in Italy. Another prominent figure was Donzella Malespina (1390-1457), an Italian poet and noblewoman from the Malespina family.
In the 16th century, Donzella de Avalos (1510-1576) was a prominent Spanish noblewoman and the first wife of Ferdinando Francesco d'Avalos, the Marchese del Vasto. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her influence in the cultural circles of Naples.
Moving forward to the 17th century, Donzella Giustiniani (1635-1705) was a Venetian noblewoman and a noted patron of the arts, particularly in the field of music. She hosted many musical events and salons in her palazzo, contributing to the cultural life of Venice during that time.
In more recent times, Donzella Pasin (1922-2008) was an Italian painter and sculptor known for her abstract and figurative works. She was a prominent figure in the Italian art scene of the 20th century and had several solo exhibitions throughout her career.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Donzella throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods.
People
Donzella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Donzella 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
Donzella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Donzella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 207 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Donzella 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 1,655,818 US residents.
Is Donzella a common name?
We classify Donzella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 375 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Donzella most popular?
The single biggest year for Donzella was 1950, when 52 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Donzella is about 71 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Donzella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Donzella 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.