Dana

• There are two pronounciations of this name: DAH-NAH or DAY-NA (as in scully from the x-files) Dana was probably derived from Danu who is a great Irish goddess
• completely overused, but I think it suggests a more pure nature than most of my other favourite names.

Dana (pronounced DAY na) was originally a surname that was occasionally given to boys in the USA, most likely in honor of the 19th century author and abolitionist Richard Henry Dana. This surname was probably originally coined to denote a Danish person. Pronounced /DAH na/, this is a feminine name used in Slavic languages as a short form of names like Bogdana or Dariya. It can also be a feminine form of Daniel in several European languages. Pronounced /DA na/ (rhymes with Anna and Tanner), it is used by the Northern Irish singer/politician Dana (Rosemary Scanlon). She used this name as a modern form of the Celtic mother goddess Danu.
See Also: Daynah

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