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Danica

♀ Girl

Pronounced DAN-ih-kuh /ˈdæn.ɪ.kə/Medium

Meaning: From Slavic 'danica' meaning 'morning star' (Venus), derived from 'dan' (day).Medium

In 30 seconds: Danica is a Slavic girl's name meaning 'morning star', the planet Venus, built on the word 'dan' for 'day'.

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Origin MediumSerbian, Croatian, Slovene

MeaningFrom Slavic 'danica' meaning 'morning star' (Venus), derived from 'dan' (day).

U.S. rank (2025)#1634 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births127 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2007

Total births (all-time)≈ 16,518

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

The name comes from the Slavic 'danica', meaning 'morning star', the name for Venus as it appears at dawn, and ties back to 'dan' meaning 'day'. It is well established across South Slavic countries. Modern bearers include racing driver Danica Patrick and actress and math author Danica McKellar.

Patrick remains the only woman to win an IndyCar Series race, while McKellar, known as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years, also writes popular math books for young readers. The variant Denitsa reflects the name's Bulgarian pronunciation.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Danica is 'morning star, Venus', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Danica — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

DenicaDenitsa

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Danica Patrick (1982-present)
American former professional racing driver, the only woman to win an IndyCar Series race and a noted figure in NASCAR and IndyCar.
★Danica McKellar (1975-present)
American actress and mathematics author, known for playing Winnie Cooper on 'The Wonder Years' and for writing popular math books for young readers.

If you like Danica…

Milania— a similarly popular pick

Marin— another Croatian name

Karmen— lands in the same popularity range

Antonela— another Croatian name

Rebeca— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Danica

By themecroatian serbian

By meaningStar Dawn / Morning

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Danica mean?

Danica is usually explained as meaning 'morning star, Venus' and is most often linked with Serbian tradition.

How do you pronounce Danica?

It's commonly said DAN-ih-kuh /ˈdæn.ɪ.kə/.

Is Danica a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Danica is used as a girl name.

How popular is Danica?

In 2024, Danica ranked #1555 in the U.S. for girls, with 136 births recorded.