Donella
Every Donella since 1910 — 1,823 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Donella
Donella is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #15,532 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1910, 1,823 American babies have been named Donella. Its peak came in 1952, when 51 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Donella stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Donella year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | #15,532 |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | 6 | #14,283 |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | 6 | #15,953 |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | 6 | #12,196 |
| 1990 | 13 | #6,572 |
| 1985 | 11 | #6,148 |
| 1980 | 20 | #3,882 |
| 1975 | 21 | #3,305 |
| 1970 | 51 | #1,764 |
| 1965 | 19 | #2,861 |
| 1960 | 27 | #2,258 |
| 1955 | 25 | #2,170 |
| 1950 | 47 | #1,336 |
| 1945 | 19 | #1,948 |
| 1940 | 17 | #1,981 |
| 1935 | 13 | #2,335 |
| 1930 | 18 | #1,959 |
| 1925 | 21 | #1,908 |
| 1920 | 9 | #3,397 |
| 1915 | 12 | #2,427 |
| 1910 | 5 | #2,506 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Donella
- Donella Meadows Chemist · 1941–2001
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Donella in 2025?
Donella ranked #15,532 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Donella?
1,823 babies have been named Donella in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Donella most popular?
Donella peaked in 1952, when 51 newborns received the name.
Is Donella a boy or girl name?
Donella is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Donella rising or falling?
Donella is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Donella?
Well-known people named Donella include Donella Meadows (chemist).