According to the U.S. baby name data, the name Dayana reached peak usage in 2008:
- 2010: 624 baby girls named Dayana [rank: 484th]
- 2009: 760 baby girls named Dayana [rank: 421st]
- 2008: 777 baby girls named Dayana [rank: 412th]
- 2007: 576 baby girls named Dayana [rank: 541st]
- 2006: 529 baby girls named Dayana [rank: 557th]
More than 25% of the 2008 babies named Dayana were born in California, and more than 14% were born in Texas.
What gave the name a boost that year?
Venezuelan beauty queen Dayana (pronounced dah-YAH-nah) Mendoza, who won the title of Miss Universe in Nha Trang, Vietnam, in July of 2008.
The Latin American name Dayana is based on (and sounds a lot like) the English pronunciation of the name Diana. It also happens to be the name of several different South American orchids, all of which were named in honor of 19th-century English botanist John Day.
In 2012, usage of the name was nudged above 700 babies for a third time — likely because of Dayana Mendoza’s participation in the reality TV competition series Celebrity Apprentice. She placed sixth out of 18 contestants. (The winner that season was Arsenio Hall.)
What are your thoughts on the name Dayana?
Sources: Miss Universe 2008 – Wikipedia, Dayana Mendoza – Wikipedia, Dayana – Behind the Name, SSA
Images: Screenshots of the TV broadcast of the 57th Miss Universe pageant