# Dana

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈdɑːnə/ · frequency rank #9,313

## Definitions
1. An American surname.
2. A unisex given name transferred from the surname, originally given in honor of Richard Henry Dana Jr.
3. A town in Indiana; named for Charles Dana, a railroad official.
4. A village in Illinois; named for Thomas Dana, a railroad official.
5. A city in Iowa; named for Samuel Dana, an early settler.

## Etymology
Of uncertain origin. Possibly from Dawnay, or else an altered form of Dan or Daniel.

## Easily confused with
- **day** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-day)
- **don** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-don)
- **DNA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dna)
- **den** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-den)
- **das** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-das)
- **DNC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dnc)
- **DIN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-din)
- **dat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dat)
- **DEA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dea)
- **dun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dun)
- **dar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dar)
- **DAW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-daw)
- **Dax** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dax)
- **dao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dao)
- **dba** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dba)
- **DHA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dha)
- **dap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dap)
- **DNR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dnr)
- **DOA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-doa)
- **DMA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dana-vs-dma)

## Common misspellings (5)
`adna`, `daan`, `danna`, `ddana`, `dnaa`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dana