If I, as a British person with no connection to the USA, named my daughter

[helloagainhowareyou]

Dana (pronounced day-na) would you think it was weird?

I love the name but I've never met or heard of a British person with the name before. All the fictional characters named Dana that I can think of off the top of my head are all American and the only two Dana's I've met in real life were both American.

I mentioned the name as a possibility to my mum and she looked at me like this . A friend who I told also seemed to raise her eyebrows slightly.

Is it really that out there or weird?

[Holfin]

I like it. I would pronounce it Day-na like the name of the sister in According to Jim which I used to watch

[DurhamDurham]

I'd think it was Irish and pronounce it Dar-na.

I don't dislike it but don't particularly like it either. I think you will spend a lot of time correcting the pronunciation of it

[Sophronia]

I would pronounce it like Dann-a, not Dar-na. I have heard it Day-na as well. I prefer it on a boy.

[elQuintoConyo]

Day-na as in Scully - nowt wrong with that

There was also a Dana Ashbrook.in Twin Peaks, he played Fitty McHotassBobby, think he pronounces it dan-a (short like Donna).

I think it's a nice name for either sex and wouldn't necessarily think you were from aross the pond.

[elQuintoConyo]

^ crossout fail! Am on new mobile site

[Shallishanti]

'older people will think Dar-na'

actually, people in their prime will think Dar-na

[OatcakeCravings]

I went to school with a Dana, pronounced Daa na or Dah na

[Tylastar]

I knew two girls called Dana when I was at school. I think it's a lovely name and not specifically American. :)

[PixieofCatan]

I'd call them Dar-na, my little sister is a Dana (pronounced Dar-na). I'd assume Persian or Irish heritage with the associated pronounciation before Day-na.

My friend named Day-na was spelt Dayna.

[Frikadellen]

Dana \d(a)-na\ as a girl's name (also used as boy's name Dana), is pronounced DAY-nah. It is of Old English origin, and the meaning of Dana is "from Denmark". A surname also used as a variant of Daniel. Actress Dana Delany.
Read more at www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Dana#e1VL0iZz6fvHiOyq.99

I knowing it means " from Denmark" (and being Danish) would not actually think it as American.

I have never heard it said " daR na" only Day - nah or Dann ah

As it is it will be pronounced however you pick it.

I like it a lot as a name but being from Denmark myself I would never have used it for a dd.. but oh is pretty.

[Bunbaker]

"Dana \d(a)-na\ as a girl's name (also used as boy's name Dana), is pronounced DAY-nah."

In the US, but more usually Daa-na in the UK I think. I like the name, but it is obvious from the posts on here you will have to either correct people's pronunciation or spelling all the time.

[DefiniteMaybe]

Tbh I prefer how Dayna looks to Dana. Could you just spell it Dayna? That way it's always going to be pronounced right.

[BeckAndCall]

I think it's lovely.

As someone in her 50s my automatic pronunciation would be Darna as I remember the singer and also we have Irish family

But anyone who watched Homeland or X files would easily go with Dayna too!

[florascotia]

There are two or maybe three different origins for the name Dana.

1. As earlier OP said, one is indeed the surname Dana (Day-nah). It belonged to a famous American lawyer and is used mainly in the USA. For boys and girls.
   

1. Quite separately, in many parts of Europe Dana (Dah-nuh) is used as a girl's name, the female for of Daniel OR as a short form of names such as 'Bogdana'.
   

1. In Ireland, the Dana (Darh-nah) may have origins in the name of an ancient Celtic goddess, Danu.

[AliceInGallifrey]

I no of two British Dana's (pronounced day-na) both in their twenties.

I wouldn't think your mad :)

[Oddie]

The Irish Eurovision-winning Dana was a stage name though. Her given name is Rosemary ; she ran for Irish President couple of years back on an ultra-conservative ticket. Don't know any other Irish Danas.

The only other Dana I remember is from the X Files of which I was a massive fan.

[florascotia]

Earlier posters have mentioned Irish people called Dana, I think.

Republic of Ireland baby statistics have not been collected analytically for long, so can't do a check.
Helpful website here: www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/ibn/irishbabiesnames2013/#.U_hT5KOaRdg

[chillychicken]

I used to love the show Step by Step (with Patrick Duffy) and one of the daughters was called Dana (pronounced Day-na) and I have always loved the name so I'd use it

[yummymumtobe]

No, names from popular culture often enter the baby name lists. Dana is in Homeland and so may get picked up and used here more. Apparently there are a few Donalds now as a result of Mad Men!

[PixieofCatan]

yummy very true, I've always loved Arya, it's been on my list of baby names since I was a teen (future fantasies and what-not!) and it was a relatively unpopular name, now it's extremely popular thanks to Game of Thrones!

[Snapespotions]

Wouldn't think you were mad, but I would think it was a horrible name. Sorry!

[Solaia]

If you want it pronounced Dayna, maybe you could spell it Dayna? I think that's prettier than Dana and will get around the whole UK pronunciation and male/female thing. I like the idea of a name with 'Day' in it and it's a cute nickname!

[GeorgiexXx]

Love this name. It would have been on my short list if I was having a girl. If you like it then go for it :-)

[miffybun73]

I don't think American, I think Irish singer popular in 1970s.

[iamdivergent]

My best friend is Dana said like it looks. She's 29 so it is about! dd2 goes to school with one too, said the same way