How to say it
di · AN · a
/daɪˈæn.ə/
Feminine
Diana
Divine, heavenly
What it means
Roman goddess of the hunt, the moon, and childbirth (the Greek Artemis equivalent). Her name from a Latin root meaning 'divine' or 'heavenly.' Princess Diana of Wales (1961-1997) gave the name its strongest modern English-language anchor.
Diana was the Roman goddess of the hunt, the moon, and childbirth — the equivalent of the Greek Artemis. Her name comes from the Latin diviana or divina, meaning 'divine, heavenly.' The Temple of Diana at Ephesus was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. As a Christian-era given name Diana was steady in continental Europe and Britain for centuries. Princess Diana of Wales (Diana Spencer, 1961-1997) made the name globally familiar; her death in 1997 froze it in cultural amber for a generation. Diana Ross, Diana Rigg, and Wonder Woman (whose secret identity is Diana Prince) give it modern anchors. Common shorts: Di, Ana.
Popularity over time
peaked at #42 in 1946, currently #244 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
Princess Diana is the unavoidable association for anyone over 30; Diana Ross and Wonder Woman (Diana Prince) cover other generations.
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.
- Diana (Roman myth) Goddess of the hunt, the moon, and childbirth
- Princess Diana of Wales Diana Spencer, 1961-1997, the People's Princess
- Diana Ross American singer, lead of the Supremes
Spelling variants
- Diane
- Dianna
- Diane
Names with the same feeling
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By style