Danae
Girl name · #2417 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Danae? In official American birth records, Danae has been tracked continuously since 1947, giving it 78 years of documented American history.
Danae ranks #2417 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 74 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2194, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 24,324 girls born in 2025 was named Danae.
Babies named Danae per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 78-year story
Danae first appears in the Social Security records in 1947, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2001, when 212 girls were named Danae — good for #1011 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Danae against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Danae in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Danae is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Danae will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Danae is most common
State-level data for Danae is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Danae
Statistically, parents drawn to Danae tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Janae, Lanae, Desirae, Shae, and Desire.
JanaeLanaeDesiraeShaeDesireAbbieKacieDasha
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Danae | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 74 | #2410 |
| 2024 | 170 | #1341 |
| 2023 | 116 | #1762 |
| 2022 | 107 | #1885 |
| 2021 | 122 | #1698 |
| 2020 | 103 | #1872 |
| 2019 | 112 | #1816 |
| 2018 | 87 | #2159 |
| 2017 | 85 | #2221 |
| 2016 | 58 | #2902 |
| 2015 | 86 | #2194 |
| 2014 | 102 | #1956 |
| 2013 | 106 | #1888 |
| 2012 | 98 | #1983 |
| 2011 | 121 | #1715 |
| 2010 | 132 | #1629 |
| 2009 | 148 | #1528 |
| 2008 | 163 | #1445 |
| 2007 | 160 | #1459 |
| 2006 | 182 | #1293 |
| 2005 | 181 | #1252 |
| 2004 | 200 | #1140 |
| 2003 | 196 | #1123 |
| 2002 | 202 | #1056 |
| 2001 | 212 | #1011 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Danae?
In official American birth records, the name Danae first appeared in 1947 (over 78 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 78 years.
Is Danae a popular girl name?
Danae ranked #2417 among girls in 2025 with 74 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2194.
When was the name Danae most popular?
Danae peaked in 2001, when 212 American girls received the name (ranked #1011 that year). Since 2001 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Danae?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 24,324 newborn American girls was named Danae. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.