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Donelda

♀ Girl

Pronounced doh-NEL-dah /doʊˈnɛl.də/Medium

Meaning: Donelda is a feminine elaboration of Donald, from the Scottish Gaelic Domhnall - domno, 'world,' plus val, 'rule' - giving the sense 'world ruler' or 'great chief.' The -elda ending follows a mid-century pattern of feminizing boys' names with an -a or -elda suffix.Low

In 30 seconds: Donelda is a feminine form of Donald, a Scottish Gaelic name meaning 'world ruler.' It stayed rare in the United States, peaking around 1932 (said doh-NEL-dah).

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Origin MediumScottish, Gaelic

MeaningDonelda is a feminine elaboration of Donald, from the Scottish Gaelic Domhnall - domno, 'world,' plus val, 'rule' - giving the sense 'world ruler' or 'great chief.' The -elda ending follows a mid-century pattern of feminizing boys' names with an -a or -elda suffix.

U.S. rank (1972)#8608 ↘ Falling

1972 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1932

Total births (all-time)≈ 549

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

Donelda takes the Scottish Gaelic Donald - 'world ruler' - and adds a feminine -elda ending, a naming habit common in the early-to-mid twentieth century for honoring a male relative with a matching girl's name.

Donelda was never common, given to only about eighteen girls a year at its peak around 1932, and it disappeared from records by the early 1970s. A girl named Donelda then would be in her nineties today.

Did you know? Donelda feminizes Donald by adding -elda, a suffix mid-century parents also reached for in names like Rosalda and Wilhelda, giving a girl a version of her father's or grandfather's name.

Overall data confidence 55%

References - Donelda — Feminine of Donald; Scottish Gaelic Domhnall 'world ruler'

Variations

DonaldaDonellaDonnelda

Nicknames

DonDonnie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Donelda…

Donella— a like feminized Donald variant

Wilhelmina— a like father-honoring feminized name

Rosalind— a like vintage three-syllable -a/-ind name

Clyda— echoes that soft -da sound

Devina— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Donelda

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Donelda mean?

It is a feminine form of Donald, from the Scottish Gaelic Domhnall, meaning 'world ruler.'

How do you pronounce Donelda?

It is said doh-NEL-dah /doʊˈnɛl.də/, three syllables with the stress in the middle.

Is Donelda a boy or girl name?

Donelda is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Donelda?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about eighteen girls a year at its peak in the early nineteen-thirties, and it has not seen any modern revival.