Dawn

Dawn comes directly from the Old English word 'dagian,' meaning 'to become day,' and is related to the Proto-Germanic root 'dagaz,' meaning 'day.' As a given name it rose to popularity in the English-speaking world in the early 20th century, replacing the Latinate form Aurora in common use. It became especially fashionable in the mid-20th century United States and United Kingdom.

Dawn is one of the most evocative of the mid-twentieth-century English nature names, sitting alongside Joy, Hope, and Grace as a word name chosen for its direct emotional resonance. In Britain it was particularly popular from the late 1950s through the 1970s, appearing in large numbers across all social classes and regions, which gives it a broadly democratic feel compared to some names of the era. The name carries a particularly warm association with that period of British social history, the post-war decades of optimism and cultural change. It is well represented in British popular culture: Dawn French, the beloved comedian and actress, is perhaps the name's most prominent British bearer, and her warmth and humour have coloured modern perceptions of the name positively. Dawn appears frequently in fiction and television of the 1960s and 1970s, cementing its association with that generation. In more recent years Dawn has taken on a gentle retro quality, appreciated by parents who want a simple, meaningful name with genuine English roots and a soft, one-syllable sound.