How to say it
DAN · te
/ˈdɑːn.teɪ/
Masculine
Dante
Steadfast, enduring
What it means
An Italian short form of Durante, from the Latin durans, 'enduring' or 'steadfast.'
Dante is the Italian short form of Durante, from Latin durans, 'enduring.' It is forever tied to Dante Alighieri, whose Divine Comedy mapped hell, purgatory, and paradise and helped shape the Italian language itself. That literary heft gives it gravity, while the sound stays crisp and modern. It is well used in Italian and Black American families alike. Said DAHN-tay.
Popularity over time
peaked at #200 in 1997, currently #308 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Dante Alighieri and his Divine Comedy are the towering association.
- Pronunciation
DAHN-tay; the spellings Donte and Dontae track the same sound.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Dante Alighieri medieval Italian poet, author of the Divine Comedy
Spelling variants
- Durante
- Donte
- Dontae
Names with the same feeling
See Dante from another angle
By meaning
By style