Dawn is a feminine given name. It is of

Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...

origin, and its meaning is ''the first appearance of light, daybreak''. It is sometimes used as a name for

Eos In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Eos (; Ionic Greek, Ionic and Homeric Greek ''Ēṓs'', Attic Greek, Attic ''Héōs'', "dawn", or ; Aeolic Greek, Aeolic ''Aúōs'', Doric Greek, Doric ''Āṓs'') is the go ...

(

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

: Ἠώς), the Greek goddess of the dawn.

People

Dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the diffuse sky radiation, appearance of indirect sunlight being Rayleigh scattering, scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc ha ...

(Kim Hyo-jong, born 1994), South Korean rapper * Dawn Birley (born 1977), Canadian taekwondo practitioner and actress *

Dawn Black Dawn Black ( Whitty; born April 1, 1943) is a Canadian politician in British Columbia, Canada. She represented the riding of New Westminster in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2009 to 2013. During that time, she served as in ...

(born 1943), politician in

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, Canada *

Dawn Brancheau Dawn Therese Brancheau ( LoVerde, April 16, 1969 – February 24, 2010) was an American animal trainer at SeaWorld. She worked with orcas at SeaWorld Orlando for fifteen years, including a leading role in revamping the Shamu (SeaWorld show) ...

(1969–2010), SeaWorld trainer *

Dawn Butler Dawn Petula Butler (born 3 November 1969) is a British Labour Party politician who is member of parliament (MP) for Brent East. She previously served as MP for Brent Central (2015–2024) and Brent South (2005–2010). Born in London to Jama ...

(born 1969), British Labour Member of Parliament for

Brent Central Brent Central was a constituency in Greater London, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2015 until its abolition for the 2024 general election by Dawn Butler of the Labour Party. Under the 2023 Periodic Review of We ...

Dawn Burrell Dawn C. Burrell (born November 1, 1973) is an American chef and retired long jumper. She won the gold medal at the 2001 IAAF World Indoor Championships

(born 1973), American long jumper * Dawn Cavanagh, South African women's rights activist * Dawn Crosby (1963–1996) American Singer, was the former lead singer of the underground act Detente. *

Dawn Dumont Dawn Marie Walker, better known by her pen name Dawn Dumont, is a Plains Cree writer, former lawyer, comedian, former CEO and journalist from the Okanese First Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada. In 2022, she became the subject of nationwide attenti ...

, Canadian writer *

Dawn Ellerbe Dawn L. Ellerbe (born April 3, 1974) is a former track and field athlete who specialized in the hammer throw. She is currently the assistant athletic director at California State University, Northridge and a popular fashion model and blogger. El ...

(born 1974), American hammer thrower * Dawn Evelyn Paris (1918–1993), American actress * Dawn Fitzpatrick, American investment and financial officer * Dawn Frank, American biologist and academic administrator *

Dawn Fraser Dawn Fraser (born 4 September 1937) is an Australian freestyle champion swimmer, eight-time olympic medallist, a 15-year world record holder in the 100-metre freestyle, and former politician. Controversial, yet the winner of countless honours, ...

(born 1937), Australian champion swimmer *

Dawn French Dawn Roma French (born 11 October 1957) is a British actress, comedian and writer. She is known for writing and starring on the BBC sketch comedy series '' French and Saunders'' (1987–2007) with her best friend and comedy partner Jennifer Sa ...

(born 1957), British comedian *

Dawn Hudson Dawn Hudson (born January 4, 1956) is an American film industry executive. She notably served as chief executive officer (CEO) of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 2011 to 2022. Earlier in her career, she was executive director ...

(born 1956), CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. *

Dawn Langstroth Dawn Joanne Langstroth (born April 16, 1979) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and painter. Raised in Toronto, she has released two EPs, self-titled ''Dawn Langstroth'' and ''No Mercy'', and released her debut album ''Highwire'' in 2009. Langstr ...

(born 1979), Canadian singer/songwriter and painter *

Dawn Lake Dawn Alice Lake (20 January 1927 – 1 January 2006) was an Australian television comedian, singer, entertainer, and actor whose career spanned more than 50 years. She was particularly associated in show business with her husband Bobby Limb ...

(1927–2006), Australian entertainer *

Dawnn Lewis Dawnn Jewel Lewis (born August 13, 1961) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Jaleesa Vinson–Taylor on the NBC television sitcom ''A Different World'' from the series beginning in 1987 until the end of its fifth season in ...

(born 1961), American actress * Dawn Lott, African-American mathematician *

Dawn Marie Dawn Marie Psaltis (born November 3, 1970) is an American nurse and retired professional wrestler, professional wrestling valet, and actress. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and the SmackD ...

(born 1970), American former professional wrestler and former WWE Diva * Dawn Mello (1931–2020), American fashion retail executive * Dawn Moncrieffe (born 1968), Canadian athlete *

Dawn Penn Dawn Penn (born 11 January 1952) is a Jamaican reggae singer. She first had a short career during the rocksteady era from 1967 to 1969, but she is most known for her single " You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)", which became a worldwide hit in 1994. ...

(born 1952), Jamaican singer * Dawn Porter (born 1979), British television presenter *

Dawn Powell Dawn Powell (November 28, 1896 – November 14, 1965) was an American novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and short story writer. Known for her acerbic prose, "her relative obscurity was likely due to a general distaste for her harsh satiric ...

(1896–1965), American writer of satirical novels *

Dawn Primarolo Dawn Primarolo, Baroness Primarolo, (born 2 May 1954) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Bristol South from 1987 until 2015, when she stood down. She was Minister of State for Children, Young People a ...

(born 1954), British Member of Parliament for Bristol South * Dawn Olanick (1964–1982), American murder victim *

Dawn Olivieri Dawn Olivieri (born February 8, 1981) is an American actress. She played Lydia in ''Heroes'', and Monica Talbot in ''House of Lies''. Olivieri is a frequent participant in Taylor Sheridan produced television productions. She portrayed Claire D ...

(born 1981), American actress * Dawn Rasmussen, retired athlete and sports administrator from Samoa * Dawn Angelique Richard (born 1983), member of the musical girl group Danity Kane *

Dawn Robinson Dawn Sherrese Robinson (born November 24, 1966) is an American singer and actress best known as a founding member of the R&B/pop group En Vogue, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. Following her departure from En Vogue, Rob ...

(born 1968), former lead singer of supergroup En Vogue and Lucy Pearl * Dawn M. Scott (born 1973), British wildlife ecologist *

Dawn Silva Dawn Silva is an American funk vocalist. Silva started her career as a background vocalist for Sly and the Family Stone. She joined Parliament-Funkadelic in 1977. She was the only original Brides of Funkenstein member to continue through the Br ...

(born 1954), American funk vocalist *

Dawn Staley Dawn Michelle Staley (born May 4, 1970) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team. A point guard, she played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers an ...

(born 1970), American basketball player and coach *

Dawn Steel Dawn Leslie Steel (August 19, 1946 – December 20, 1997) was an American film studio executive and producer. She was one of the first women to run a major Hollywood film studio, rising through the ranks of merchandising and production to head ...

(1946–1997), American film studio executive and producer * Dawn Stern (born 1966), American actress *

Dawn Wells Dawn Elberta Wells (October 18, 1938 – December 30, 2020) was an American actress. She is best known for her role as Mary Ann Summers in the sitcom ''Gilligan's Island''. Early life Wells was born to Evelyn (née Steinbrenner) and Joe Wesle ...

(1938–2020), American actress *

Dawn Walker Dawn Elizabeth Walker is an Australian former politician. She was appointed as a Greens member of the New South Wales Legislative Council on 22 February 2017 to fill a casual vacancy resulting from the resignation of Jan Barham, and served u ...

, Australian politician *

Dawn Zulueta Marie Rachel Salman Taleon-Lagdameo (born March 4, 1969), known professionally as Dawn Zulueta (), is a Filipino actress, host and commercial model. She was recognized as the only Filipino actor to win two different major accolades in acting ca ...

(born 1969), Filipina actress

Fictional characters

* Dawn (Pokémon), female protagonist of ''Pokémon Diamond'', ''Pearl'' and ''Platinum'' * Dawn, a character from the 2025 film ''

A Minecraft Movie ''A Minecraft Movie'' is a 2025 American fantasy film, fantasy Adventure film, adventure comedy film based on the 2011 video game ''Minecraft'' by Mojang Studios. It was directed by Jared Hess and written by Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil ...

'' * Dawn Green, the second victim of the serial killer on ''True Blood'' * Dawn Schafer, a character in ''The Baby-sitters Club'' and ''California Diaries'' *

Dawn Summers Dawn Summers is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and introduced by Marti Noxon and David Fury on the television series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', portrayed by Michelle Trachtenberg. She made her debut in the premiere episode of the ...

, a character in the popular television and comic book series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' *

Dawn Swann Dawn Swann is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Kara Tointon, who first appeared on 26 September 2005. It was reported on 26 March 2009 that Tointon and co-star Ricky Groves, who plays Garry Hobbs, would be w ...

, a character in the popular BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' *

Dawn Tinsley ''The Office'' is a British mockumentary television sitcom first broadcast in the UK on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, it follows the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slo ...

, the receptionist in the British situation comedy ''The Office'' *

Dawn Woods Dawn Hope (also Woods) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', played by Julia Mallam. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 16 February 2003 and her last on 14 July 2006. Storyli ...

, a character in the popular ITV soap opera ''

Emmerdale ''Emmerdale'' (known as ''Emmerdale Farm'' until 1989) is a British television soap opera that is broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV. The show is set in Emmerdale (known as Beckindale until 1994), a List of fictional towns and villages, fict ...

'' * Prairie Dawn, a muppet character in ''Sesame Street'' * Dawn Harper, one of the titular characters in the Nickelodeon series ''

Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn ''Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn'' is an American comedy television series created by Matt Fleckenstein and developed by Michael Feldman that premiered on Nickelodeon on September 13, 2014. It ran for four seasons and 82 episodes, with the final ep ...

'' * Dawn Betterman in ''

The Croods ''The Croods'' (also known as ''Crood Awakening'') is a 2013 American animated adventure comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film was directed by Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco, both of whom a ...

'' * Pink Dawn, a villain in ''

Danger Mouse Danger Mouse is a British action cartoon which has had two incarnations: * ''Danger Mouse'' (1981 TV series), a 1981 British animated television series * ''Danger Mouse'' (2015 TV series), a 2015 reboot of the British animated television series ...

'' * Dawn, a contestant on '' Total Drama: Revenge of the Island''

Surname

* Adria Dawn, American actress *

Dolly Dawn Dolly Dawn (born Theresa Anna Maria Stabile; February 3, 1916 – December 11, 2002) was an American big band singer. She was vocalist with George Hall's Hotel Taft Orchestra in the 1930s, and later had a solo career. Biography Dawn was born Th ...

(born Theresa Stabile, 1916–2002), American singer *

Elizabeth Dawn Sylvia Ann Ibbetson (''née'' Butterfield; 8 November 1939 – 25 September 2017), known professionally as Elizabeth Dawn or Liz Dawn, was a British actress, best known for her role as Vera Duckworth in the long-running British soap opera ''Cor ...

(born Sylvia Butterfield, 1939–2017), British actress * Jeff Dawn, American makeup artist * Julie Dawn (born Juliana Mostosi, 1920–2000), English singer *

Marva Dawn Marva J. Dawn (August 20, 1948April 18, 2021) was an American Christian theologian, author, musician, preacher, and educator. She was associated with the parachurch organization Christians Equipped for Ministry in Vancouver, Washington where she ...

(1948–2021), American theologian * Pieretta Dawn (born 1994), English-writing Thai author

Spacecraft

Dawn (spacecraft) ''Dawn'' is a retired space probe that was launched by NASA in September 2007 with the mission of studying two of the three known protoplanets of the asteroid belt: Vesta and Ceres. In the fulfillment of that mission—the ninth in NASA's Di ...

, which is exploring 4 Vesta and later Ceres in the Asteroid belt.

External links

Genealogy of the Surname Dawn.

Genealogy sources for the Surname Dawn.
{{given name, type=both English feminine given names English-language feminine given names Feminine given names