Origin: |
Diana is the name of an ancient Roman goddess who presided over hunting, wild animals, women and the moon, and was associated heavily with the Greek goddess Artemis. The name most likely comes from the same sources as Zeus, Deus and Deva: the Proto-Indo-European *deywós "(a) god," which ultimately comes from the root *dyeu- "to gleam, to shine, sky, heaven." |
Usage: |
Diana came into general use as a given name in Europe during the Renaissance, when a fascination with the classical world was prevalent. One famous early bearer was Bl. Diana d'Andalo (1201-1236), one of the first Dominican nuns who was born to a wealthy family of Bologna. She fought against great opposition from her family to take her vows and eventually founded a convent for her order dedicated to Saint Agnes.
In Britain, Diana was first used from the mid-16th century. Some of this may have been inspired by the fashions set by the French court and some may have been inspired by Jorge de Montemayor's pastoral romance Diana (1559) or The Seven Books of the Diana, which was a 16th century bestseller and seminal work, known to have been used as inspiration by Shakespeare. The name appears in the most popular names of Elizabethan Norfolk at #50 and later during the Restoration Period at #35. The name became well established among the British aristocracy, and has remained so ever since. Lady Diana Cecil (d. 1658), the daughter of the 2nd Earl of Exeter who married Henry de Vere, 18th Earl of Oxford is an early example, but she is one a litany of ladies in history answering to the title "Lady Diana." It is particularly famous for having been used generation after generation in the preeminent aristocratic Spencer family. There have been three notable Lady Diana Spencers born to this family:
By the mid-19th century, Diana began to decline in use, as births for England and Wales show: 1860: #158 (70 births) The name remained in good use among the peerage at the turn of the century, and it is perhaps thanks in part to this that the name was popularly revised in the 1930s. Lady Diana Manners (1892–1986), was a glamorous socialite who was a part of the famous intellectual group known as the Coterie. Not only did she turn her hand to newspaper editing and column writing, she also acted on the stage, and even starred in several silent films, including the first British colour films. Her fame in the 1920s and 1930s may well have influenced new parents of that period.
The French form Diane was hot on its heels when it hit the top 100 in the 1940s, surpassing Diana's success when it peaked at #9 in 1964. Since 1996, Diana has been gradually rising in the rankings. From ranking #661 (36 births) in 1996, the name briefly spiked to #409 (77 births) in 1997 and #396 (79 births) in 1998 in the aftermath of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in August 1997. In 2014, Diana reached #304 with 154 births, and looks set to rise further if Marvel's Wonder Woman films are a success. |
Famous Bearers: |
History: * Bl. Diana d'Andalo (1201-1236), one of the first Dominican nuns. Contemporary: * Diana Athill OBE (b.1917), British literary editor, novelist and memoirist. Literature and Other Media: * Diana Capilet, a character in Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well (1604/5). Other: * 78 Diana, an asteroid. |
Variants: |
Dianna, Diane (French), Dijana (Slavic) |
Pronunciation: |
dī-AN-ə [key] |
Possible diminutives: |
Di, Didi, Dee, Anna, Annie, Danni |
Sibling Names: |
Helena Sylvia Arabella Julia Marianne Louise |
Name Lists: |
Upright Elegance Gods and Goddesses Gorgeously Georgian Jane Austen Names Bronte Names Gilbert & Sullivan Names Names of Roses |
If you like Diana you may also like: |
Thanks to Arabella for requesting this name.