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Donnis
How to Pronounce Donnis
Pronounced DON-iss /ˈdɑːn.ɪs/Medium
Meaning: Donnis is an American elaboration of Donna, the Italian word for 'lady' or 'woman' that became a popular given name; the '-is' ending, echoing Doris and Phyllis, gave Donna a fresh twist in the mid-twentieth century.Low
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
Donnis grew out of Donna, the Italian word for 'lady' that flourished as an American girls' name in the mid-twentieth century. Adding an '-is' ending, in the manner of Doris and Phyllis, produced a slightly more elaborate variant.
It never rivaled Donna itself, peaking around 1948 at only a few dozen girls a year and fading afterward. A woman named Donnis today would be of the grandmother generation; the name has not returned with the recent vintage revival.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Donnis mean?
Donnis is an elaboration of Donna, from the Italian word for 'lady' or 'woman'.
How do you pronounce Donnis?
It's said DON-iss /ˈdɑːn.ɪs/ — two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Donnis a boy or girl name?
Donnis is used as a girl's name, a variant of Donna.
How popular is Donnis?
Donnis was always rare and is a genuine mid-twentieth-century variant, seldom seen today.