Diane
Girl name · #2611 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Diane? In official American birth records, Diane has been tracked continuously since 1898, giving it 127 years of documented American history.
Diane ranks #2611 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 66 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2103, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 27,273 girls born in 2025 was named Diane.
Babies named Diane per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 127-year story
Diane first appears in the Social Security records in 1898, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1955, when 23,290 girls were named Diane — good for #14 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Diane against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Diane in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Diane is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Diane will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Diane is most common
State-level data for Diane 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 Diane
Statistically, parents drawn to Diane tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Darlene, Joanne, Yvonne, Jayne, and Connie.
DarleneJoanneYvonneJayneConnieSuzanneJaniceDonna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Diane | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 66 | #2607 |
| 2024 | 83 | #2248 |
| 2023 | 60 | #2823 |
| 2022 | 84 | #2228 |
| 2021 | 107 | #1861 |
| 2020 | 75 | #2341 |
| 2019 | 72 | #2451 |
| 2018 | 71 | #2478 |
| 2017 | 87 | #2184 |
| 2016 | 101 | #1972 |
| 2015 | 92 | #2103 |
| 2014 | 123 | #1706 |
| 2013 | 109 | #1849 |
| 2012 | 121 | #1714 |
| 2011 | 127 | #1666 |
| 2010 | 140 | #1569 |
| 2009 | 134 | #1660 |
| 2008 | 201 | #1250 |
| 2007 | 226 | #1137 |
| 2006 | 210 | #1157 |
| 2005 | 241 | #1011 |
| 2004 | 271 | #897 |
| 2003 | 252 | #933 |
| 2002 | 282 | #828 |
| 2001 | 260 | #884 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Diane?
In official American birth records, the name Diane first appeared in 1898 (over 127 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Diane a popular girl name?
Diane ranked #2611 among girls in 2025 with 66 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2103.
When was the name Diane most popular?
Diane peaked in 1955, when 23,290 American girls received the name (ranked #14 that year). Since 1955 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Diane?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 27,273 newborn American girls was named Diane. 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.