Diana (given name)
Gender | Female |
---|---|
Origin | |
Word/name | mythological |
Meaning | heavenly, divine |
Other names | |
Related names | Deanna, Diane, Dianna, Kiana |
Diana is a feminine given name of Latin and Greek origins, referring to the Roman goddess Diana. It came into use in the Anglosphere in the 1600s by classically educated parents as an English language version of the French version of the name, Diane.[1] [2][3]
Variants
In other languages
- Catalan: Diana[6]
- Croatian: Dijana[3]
- Dutch: Diana,[3] Diantha
- French: Diane[3]
- German: Diana[3]
- Hawaiian: Kiana[3]
- English: Diana,[3] Dianah,[3] Dianna,[3] Dyana,[3] Dyanna,[3] Deanna[3]
- Indonesian: Diana
- Latin: Diana[2][5]
- Portuguese: Diana[3]
- Romani: Daiena[3]
- Romanian: Diana[3]
- Russian: Диана (Diana)[3]
- Serbian: Дијана (Dijana)[3]
- Slovenian: Dijana[3]
- Spanish: Diana[3]
- Ukrainian: Діана (Diana)
Origin and diffusion
Diana recalls the Greek and Roman goddess Diana. Diana translates to the Latin form Artemis.[5][6] The name can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root *dyeu or *dyeus and *div- meaning "to shine" or "sky", dius, deus and diwio, "deity, god, godlike" and [5] dium meaning Universe.[6] The meanings are therefore "heavenly", "holy", "divine", "demonic", "celestial", "cosmic", "nebulous", "chaotic", "abyssal", "void", "luminous", "shining",[5] and in a broader sense "which brings the day", "which has light", "which has divine power", "which belongs to the void/abyss/chaos" and "which comes from the Universe/outer space".
Diana was already in use as a given name in ancient Rome, but exclusively outside Christian circles, in which it was seen as a pagan name.[5] In Italy, the variant "Daiana", an adaptation based on the English pronunciation, is also common.[4] The French variant "Diane" gained popularity during the 19th century.[3]
People
- Diana, Princess of Wales, British humanitarian and member of the British royal family
- Diana, Brazilian singer
- Diana Abu-Jaber, American author and a professor at Portland State University
- Diana Adlienė, Lithuanian medical physicist
- Diana Al-Hadid (born 1981), American contemporary artist
- Diana Álvares Pereira de Melo, 11th Duchess of Cadaval, Portuguese noblewoman
- Diana Agrest, American architect and urban designer
- Dianna Agron (born 1986), American actress
- Diana Amft (born 1975), German film, television actress and children's writer
- Diana Anaid (born 1976), Australian alternative rock singer-songwriter
- Diana Ankudinova (born 2003), Russian singer
- Diana Arbenina (born 1974), Russian poet, singer, musician and leader of the rock group Nochnye Snaipery
- Diana Arterian, American poet, writer, critic, editor, and translator
- Diana Athill (1917–2019), British literary editor, novelist and memoirist
- Diana Avsaragova, Russian mixed martial artist
- Diana Bang, Canadian actress and writer
- Diana Barnato Walker (1918–2008), British aviator
- Diana Barrymore (1921–1960), American actress
- Diana Basho (born 2000), Albanian swimmer
- Diana Baumrind (1927–2018), American clinical and developmental psychologist
- Diana Beck (1900–1956), English neurosurgeon
- Diana Becton (born 1951), Contra Costa County District Attorney
- Diana Belbiţă (born 1996), Romanian mixed martial artist, and former kickboxing, judo and kempo practitioner
- Diana Bellamy (1943–2001), American actress
- Diana Berg (born 1979), Ukrainian activist and graphic designer
- Diana van Berlo (born 1966), Dutch singer
- Diana W. Bianchi, American medical geneticist and neonatologist
- Diana Boulay (born 1946), Canadian artist
- Diana Bracho (born 1944), Mexican actress
- Diana Braithwaite, Canadian singer-songwriter
- Diana Budisavljević (1891–1978), Austrian humanitarian
- Diana Bulimar (born 1995), Romanian gymnast
- Diana Butler Bass, American historian
- Diana Buttu, Canadian-Palestinian lawyer
- Diana Caldwell (1913–1987), English society femme fatale figure
- Diana Canova (born 1953), American actress, director and professor
- Diana Chalá (born 1982), Ecuadorian judoka
- Diana Chang, American novelist and poet
- Diana Chapman Walsh, President of Wellesley College
- Diana Chelaru (born 1993), Romanian gymnast
- Diana Y. Chen (born 1984), Taiwanese figure skater
- Diana Churchill (1909–1963), daughter of Sir Winston Churchill
- Diana Churchill (actress) (1913–1994), English actress
- Diana Conti (born 1956), Argentine lawyer and politician
- Diana Cooper (artist), American visual artist
- Diana Coupland (1928–2006), British actress
- Diana Damrau (born 1971), German operatic soprano
- Diana Danielle (born 1991), American-born Malaysian actress and singer
- Diana Davis (born 2003), Russian figure skater
- Diana Davies (athlete) (born 1961), British high jumper
- Diana Davies (actress) (born 1936), British actress
- Diana Dean (born 1942), Canadian artist
- Diana DeGarmo (born 1987), American singer and Broadway actress
- Diana DeGette (born 1957), American politician
- Diana degli Andalò, 13th-century Italian Dominican nun and convent superior beatified by the Roman Catholic Church
- Diana Del Bufalo (born 1990), Italian actress, singer and TV presenter
- Diana Deutsch (born 1938), British-American psychologist
- Diana Dimova (born 1984), Bulgarian badminton player
- Diana DiZoglio (born 1983), American politician
- Diana Dors (1931–1984), English actress
- Diana Douglas (1923–2015), American actress
- Diana Dowek (born 1942), Argentine artist
- Diana L. Eck (born 1945), American theologian
- Diana Edulji (born 1956), Indian cricketer
- Diana Egerton-Warburton (born 1965), Australian medical professional
- Diana Elles, Baroness Elles (1921–2009), English barrister and United Nations representative
- Diana Enache (born 1987), Romanian female tennis player
- Diana Eneje, Nigerian model
- Diana Eng (born 1983), American fashion designer
- Diana Evans (born 1972), British novelist, journalist and critic
- Diana Ewing (born 1946), American actress
- Diana Farrell (born 1965), American government official
- Diana Fisher (1931–2023), Australian television personality
- Diana Fleischman (born 1981), American evolutionary psychologist
- Diana Fortuna, American businesswoman
- Diana Fosha, American psychologist
- Diana Franco (born 1966), Colombian model and actress
- Diana Furchtgott-Roth, American economist
- Diana Fuss, American scholar of literature
- Diana Galbadon (born 1952), American author
- Diana Garnet (born 1988), American singer
- Diana Golden (skier) (1963–2001), American alpine skier
- Diana Gomes (footballer) (born 1998), Portuguese association football player
- Diana Gómez (born 1989), Spanish actress
- Diana Gordon (singer) (born 1985), American singer songwriter
- Diana Gould (dancer) (1912–2003), British ballerina
- Diana Gould (writer) (born 1944), American screenwriter
- Diana Gribbon Motz (born 1943), American judge
- Diana Groó (born 1973), Hungarian film director and screenwriter
- Diana Guerrero-Maciá, American visual artist
- Diana Gurtskaya (born 1978), Russian pop singer
- Diana Hacker, American writer and educator
- Diana Haddad (born 1976), Lebanese pop singer
- Diana Hajiyeva (born 1989), Azerbaijani singer-songwriter
- Diana Hamilton (musician) (born 1978), Ghanaian gospel musician
- Diana Hamilton (writer), British writer
- Diana Hardcastle (born 1949), British actress
- Diana Hargreaves, American biologist
- Diana Harshbarger (born 1960), American politician
- Diana Hart (born 1963), Canadian-American writer and wrestling personality
- Diana Hayden (born 1973), Miss World 1997 from India
- Diana B. Henriques, American journalist
- Diana Henry (food writer), British food writer
- Diana Hoddinott, British actress
- Diana Hopeson (born 1970), Ghanaian gospel singer
- Diana Huffaker, American physicist
- Diana Hyland (1936–1977), American actress
- Diana Ibrahim, Lebanese actress and voice actress
- Diana Ingro (1917–2017), Argentine actress
- Diana Iorgova (born 1971), Bulgarian sport shooter
- Diana Iovanovici Șoșoacă (born 1975), Romanian lawyer and politician
- Diana Isakova (born 1997), Russian activist
- Diana Johnson (born 1966), British politician
- Diana Jones, American singer-songwriter
- Diana Jue, American female activist and entrepreneur
- Diana Julianto (born 1984), Indonesian professional tennis player
- Diana Kaarina (born 1975), Canadian actress
- Diana Karazon (born 1983), Jordanian singer
- Diana Kennedy (1923–2022), British food writer
- Diana Kent, English actress
- Diana King (born 1970), Jamaican singer
- Diana King (actress) (1918–1986), British actress
- Diana Kinnert (born 1991), German author
- Diana Kirkbride (1915–1997), British archaeologist
- Diana Kleiner (1947–2023), American art historian and educator
- Diana Kobzanová (born 1982), Czech TV host, Miss Czech Republic 2002
- Diana L. Kormos-Buchwald, American university teacher
- Diana Körner (born 1944), German actress
- Diana Korzenik (born 1941), American artist, educator, author, collector, and benefactor
- Diana Kovacheva (born 1975), Bulgarian lawyer and politician
- Diana Krall (born 1964), Canadian jazz pianist and singer
- Diana Kurien (born 1984), Indian actress
- Diana Lado (born 1988), Spanish-American actress in Hollywood
- Diana Lebacs (1947–2022), Curaçaoan writer and actress
- Diana Lee Inosanto (born 1966), American actress, director, stuntwoman, and martial artist
- Diana Lennon (1949–2018), New Zealand academic and pediatrician
- Diana Leonard (1941–2010), British sociologist, anthropologist, and activist
- Diana Lewis (1919–1997), American actress
- Diana Lewis Burgin (born 1943), American writer
- Diana Lie, alias of Iranian-Norwegian model Aylar Lie
- Diana Liverman (born 1954), American geographer and science writer
- Diana Lobačevskė (born 1980), Lithuanian marathon runner
- Diana Lynn (1926–1971), American actress
- Diana MacManus (born 1986), American backstroke swimmer
- Diana Maddock, Baroness Maddock (1945–2020), British politician
- Diana Mara Henry (born 1948), American photographer
- Diana Matheson (born 1984), Canadian football midfielder
- Diana Meier, American basketball player and actress
- Diana Millay (1934–2021), American actress
- Diana Mitford (1910–2003), English writer, fascist, one of the Mitford sisters
- Diana Mondino (born 1958), Argentine academic and politician
- Diana Moran (born 1939), English model, TV presenter and writer
- Diana Msewa, Tanzanian footballer
- Diana Muir Appelbaum, American writer
- Diana Mukhametzianova (born 2003), Russian pair skater
- Diana Muldaur (born 1938), American television and film actress
- Diana E. Murphy (1934–2018), American judge
- Diana Nankunda Mutasingwa, Uganda politician
- Diana Napolis, American social worker
- Diana Natalicio (1939–2021), American academic administrator
- Diana Nekoye Sifuna (born 1987), Kenyan CEO of the Jonathan Jackson Foundation, advocate in public policy and governance
- Diana Noel, 2nd Baroness Barham (1762–1823), English peer and evangelical patron
- Diana Noonan (born 1960), New Zealand children’s author
- Diana Norman (1933–2011), British author and journalist
- Diana Northup, American biologist
- Diana Nyad (born 1949), American author, journalist, motivational speaker and long-distance swimmer
- Diana O'Hehir (1922–2021), American poet
- Diana Ohman (born 1950), American politician
- Diana Ordóñez (born 2001), Mexican professional footballer
- Diana Organ (born 1952), British politician
- Diana Ospina (footballer) (born 1989), Colombian association football player
- Diana Ospina (tennis) (born 1979), American tennis player
- Diana Ossana (born 1949), American screenwriter
- Diana Oughton (1942–1970), American student activist
- Diana Palmer (author) (born 1946), American romance novelist
- Diana Pavlac Glyer (born 1956), American author, speaker and teacher
- Diana L. Paxson (born 1943), American author
- Diana Penty (born 1985), Indian actress
- Diana Peterfreund (born 1979), American writer
- Diana Pharaoh Francis, American writer
- Diana Pickler (born 1983), American heptathlete
- Diana Pineda (born 1984), Colombian diver
- Diana Plumpton (1911–1973), English amateur golfer
- Diane de Poitiers (1500–1566), French aristocrat
- Diana Pullein-Thompson (1925–2015), British writer of pony books
- Diana Quick (born 1946), English actress
- Diana Quijano (born 1962), Peruvian actress and model
- Diana Raznovich (born 1945), Argentinian writer
- Diana Redhouse (1923–2007), British artist
- Diana Redman (born 1984), Israeli footballer
- Diana Rigg (1938–2020), English actress
- Diana Ross (born 1944), American singer and actress
- Diana Rouvas (born 1984), Australian musician
- Diana Rowden (1915–1944), British espionage agent
- Diana Russell, Duchess of Bedford (1710–1735), English noblewoman
- Diana E. H. Russell, South African sociologist and activist
- Diana Sands (1934–1973), American actress
- Diana Šatkauskaitė (born 1992), Lithuanian handballer
- Diana Scarwid (born 1955), American actress
- Diana Schutz (born 1955), Canadian-born comic book editor
- Diana Scultori (1547–1612), Italian sculptor
- Diana Serra Cary (1918–2020), American child film actress and film historian
- Diana Shnaider, Russian tennis player
- Diana Shpungin, Latvian disciplinary artist
- Diana Silva (footballer) (born 1995), Portuguese professional footballer
- Diana Silva (model) (born 1997), Venezuelan model, environmental leader, singer, actress, cabin crew and beauty pageant titleholder
- Diana Silvers (born 1997), American actress and model
- Diana Souhami, British writer
- Diana Sowle (1930–2018), American actress
- Diana Staehly (born 1977), German actress
- Diana Starkova (born 1998), French beauty queen, Miss Europe 2016
- Diana Stöcker, German politician
- Diana Štrofová (born 1973), Slovak politician
- Diana Taurasi (born 1982), Russian-American basketball player
- Diana Taylor (professor) (born 1950), American academic
- Diana Taylor (superintendent) (born 1955), American business executive
- Diana Thomas (writer), American journalist and novelist
- Diana Thorne, American artist
- Diana Tietjens Meyers, American philosopher
- Diana Torrieri (1913–2007), Italian actress
- Diana Trask (born 1940), Australian singer songwriter
- Diana Trilling (1905–1996), American literary critic
- Diana Turbay (1950–1991), Colombian journalist
- Diana Urban (born 1949), American politician
- Diana Ureche (born 1974), Romanian swimmer
- Diana V (born 2000), Romanian singer and songwriter
- Diana Vaisman (born 1998), Belarusian-born Israeli sprinter
- Diana Valencia, Colombian physicist
- Diana Van der Vlis (1935–2001), Canadian-American actress
- Diana Varinska (born 2001), Ukrainian artistic gymnast
- Diana Vickers (born 1991), English singer
- Diana Vincent (born 1958), American jewelry designer and businesswoman
- Diana Vishneva (born 1976), Russian ballerina
- Diana Vreeland (1903–1989), American fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar and editor-in-chief of Vogue
- Diana Walker (born 1942), American photographer and author
- Diana Wall, American biologist
- Diana Wallis (born 1954), British politician
- Diana Walsh Pasulka, American writer and professor of religious studies
- Diana West (born 1961), American journalist
- Diana West (lactation consultant) (born 1965), American lactation consultant
- Diana Weston (born 1953), Canadian-British actress
- Diana Whalen (born 1956), Canadian politician
- Diana White (artist) (1868–1950), British painter and translator
- Diana Whitney, American writer
- Diana Widmaier Picasso (born 1974), French art historian
- Diana Williams (born 1958), American journalist for Eyewitness News in New York City
- Diana Wynne Jones (1934–2011), British children’s fantasy writer
- Diana Wynyard (1906–1964), English actress
- Diana Yakovleva (born 1988), Russian fencer
- Diana Yankey (born 1967), Ghanaian hurdler
- Diana Yeh, British Chinese sociologist and social activist
- Diana Yekinni, British-Nigerian actress
- Diana Yesenia Alvarado, Chicana artist
- Diana Yorgova (born 1942), Bulgarian long jumper
- Diana Yukawa (born 1985), Japanese-British violinist and composer
- Diana Zagainova (born 1997), Lithuanian triple jumper
- Diana Zubiri (born 1985), Filipino actress
- Diana Zuckerman (born 1950), American health policy analyst
- Diana Žiliūtė (born 1976), Lithuanian racing cyclist
- Mike Diana, American underground cartoonist
Fictional characters
- Diana, a character in the American TV miniseries V (1983 miniseries) and V The Final Battle
- Diana A, fictional mecha, Mazinger Z sidekick, after the demise of Aphrodite A
- Diana Allers, a fictional character in the role-playing video game Mass Effect 3
- Diana Burnwood, a character in Hitman
- Diana Cavendish, one of the main characters in the anime series Little Witch Academia
- Diana (Dyosa), a character in Dyosa
- Diana Wrayburn, a character from The Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare
- Diana (MÄR), a major antagonist in the manga and anime series MÄR
- Diana (Sailor Moon), a fictional cat character in the Japanese anime and manga series Sailor Moon
- Diana (V TV series), the main antagonist in the 1980s science fiction TV franchise V
- Diana Barry, a character in L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables
- Diana Bishop, the central character of A Discovery of Witches
- Diana Lombard, one of the main characters in the French-Canadian animated series Martin Mystery
- Diana Prince, the secret identity of the DC Comics superhero Wonder Woman
- Diana, Scorn of the Moon, a playable champion character in the multiplayer online battle arena video game League of Legends
- Diana the Acrobat, from the Dungeons & Dragons animated series
- Diana Davis, the main character in series 5 of the television series Sliders
See also
- Anna (given name)
- Diana (disambiguation)
- Diane (disambiguation)
- Jana (given name)
- All pages with titles beginning with Diana
References
- ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. p. 76. ISBN 0-19-861060-2.
- ^ a b c d e f Crusca 1830, p. 627.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Llewellyn 2011, p. 172.
- ^ a b Galgani 2005, p. 215.
- ^ a b c d e f Galgani 2005, p. 223.
- ^ a b c Albaigès 1993, p. 88.
Bibliography
- Accademia della Crusca (1830). Dizionario della lingua italiana – Volume VII. Padua: Tipografia della Minerva.
- Albaigès i Olivart, Josep M. (1993). Diccionario de nombres de personas. Edicions Universitat Barcelona. ISBN 84-475-0264-3.
- Galgani, Fabio (2005). Onomastica Maremmana. Centro Studi Storici "A. Gabrielli".
- Sheard, K. M. (2011). Llewellyn's Complete Book of Names. Llewellyn Publications. ISBN 0-7387-2368-1.