Dawn
Dawn is a girl's name of English origin.
Meaning
Daybreak, sunrise, or the first appearance of light.
Origin and history
Dawn is an English vocabulary name referring to the first light of day or sunrise. It emerged as a popular given name in the mid-20th century in the United States. Although it was widely used in past decades, contemporary usage has become much more selective.
Popularity in the United States
289,641 babies in the United States have been named Dawn since 1880. It ranks #135 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1553.
States where it is most popular
- NY (10.5 %)
- MI (7.6 %)
- IL (7.4 %)
- CA (7.3 %)
- PA (6.8 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 5 |
| 1890-1900 | 26 |
| 1900-1910 | 30 |
| 1910-1920 | 357 |
| 1920-1930 | 1,464 |
| 1930-1940 | 3,732 |
| 1940-1950 | 8,631 |
| 1950-1960 | 38,899 |
| 1960-1970 | 114,293 |
| 1970-1980 | 92,446 |
| 1980-1990 | 22,406 |
| 1990-2000 | 4,302 |
| 2000-2010 | 1,577 |
| 2010-2019 | 923 |
| 2020-2029 | 550 |
Famous people named Dawn
- Dawn French: Actress, Comedian
- Dawn Wells: Actress
- Dawn Staley: Athlete, Coach
Fun facts
- Dawn was part of a major wave of modern English nature and word names that surged in popularity during the 1960s and 1970s.
- The word traces back to the Old English verb 'dagian', meaning 'to become day'.