Danai

♀ Girl

Pronounced dah-NY /dɑˈnaɪ/Medium

Meaning: From Shona (Zimbabwean), 'love one another; relate well'; also Greek Danae ('she who judges'), the mother of Perseus; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: Love one another: Danai is Shona (and Greek Danae). Lyrical, modern, and warm (said 'dah-NY').

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowShona, Greek

MeaningFrom Shona (Zimbabwean), 'love one another; relate well'; also Greek Danae ('she who judges'), the mother of Perseus; routes layered

U.S. rank (2025)#8998 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births11 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 426

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Danai comes from Shona (Zimbabwean), 'love one another; relate well'; it is also Greek Danae ('she who judges', the mother of Perseus; routes layered, which we note). A lyrical, modern name (said 'dah-NY').

In the U.S. it appears across Zimbabwean and Greek families. Rare, love-one-another at the root, and modern.

Did you know? Danai means 'love one another; relate well' in Shona (Zimbabwean) — and is also the Greek Danae ('she who judges', mother of Perseus) — a lyrical, modern name (made known by actress Danai Gurira; the routes are layered, which we note; said 'dah-NY').

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Danai — routes layered

Variations

DanaeDhanai

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Danai…

Danae— a Greek name it overlaps

Sanaa— a sound-neighbor -nai/-naa girls' name

Ayana— a fellow African-rooted girls' name

Amara— another African-rooted girls' name

Explore names like Danai

By themeuncertain greek shona

By meaningLove

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Danai mean?

Danai is Shona for 'love one another'; also the Greek Danae ('she who judges'); the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Danai?

It's said dah-NY /dɑˈnaɪ/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Danai a boy or girl name?

Danai is a girl's name.

How popular is Danai?

Danai is a rare name in the U.S.