National Dante Day – September 22, 2022, history significance why we celebrate
National Dante Day is celebrated annually on September 22. Dante is a predominantly male name of Italian origin, used as both a first name and a last name. It is a short form of the old given name ‘Durante,’ which means ‘lasting’ or ‘enduring.
’ The name was popularized by famous Italian poet Dante Alighieri, who authored “The Divine Comedy” in 1320. Alighieri’s first name itself was Durante. During the 1910s, Dante became popular in the United States. By 2000, it had reached number 247 on the list of most popular male names in the United States.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL DANTE DAY
Dante is a male name of Italian origin, used as both a first name and a last name. It is a short form of the old given name ‘Durante,’ which means ‘lasting’ or ‘enduring.’ The name was popularized by famous Italian poet Dante Alighieri, who authored “The Divine Comedy” in 1320. Alighieri’s first name itself was Durante.
During the 1910s, Dante became popular in the United States. By 2000, it had reached number 247 on the list of most popular male names in the United States. However, 2000 was the year of its highest popularity. In 2001, the name dropped to 248th place on the list. Ever since, it has remained within the top 400 most popular male names. In 2021, it ranked at number 311, with 1,067 births matching the name. This figure accounted for only 0.057% of total male births in 2021.
Several popular people bear Dante as their given name. One of such individuals is English poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti, famous for establishing the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848, alongside William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais. Another famous individual is Dante Basco.
Born August 29, 1975, he is a Filipino-American voice, film, and television actor best known for playing Rufio in Steven Spielberg’s “Hook.” Dante Amaral is a former Brazilian volleyball player who won two Olympic silver medals as part of his country’s national team. Another notable figure who bore the name ‘Dante’ is Dante Giacosa. He was an Italian automobile designer who refined the front-wheel drive layout to industry standards.
NATIONAL DANTE DAY TIMELINE
1265
Alighieri is Born
Dante Alighieri is born in Florence, Italy.
1910s
Dante Increases in Popularity
Dante becomes a popular male name in the United States.
1975
Basco is Born
Dante Basco is born in California, United States.
2000
Dante’s Popularity Peaks
Dante reaches its highest level of popularity as a male name in the U.S.
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NATIONAL DANTE DAY ACTIVITIES
Celebrate Dante
Know anyone named Dante? Celebrate and recognize them for being the proud bearer of such an awesome name!
Find anagrams
Have a little fun on this holiday. Make a fun game of finding out how many anagrams you can make from ‘Dante.’
Use the hashtag
Raise awareness for National Dante Day. Do this by using the hashtag #nationaldanteday on social media.
5 POPULAR ITALIAN MALE NAMES
Leonardo
Leonardo is a name that means ‘strong lion,’ ‘brave lion,’ ‘lion-hearted,’ or ‘brave as a lion.’
Antonio
Derived from the Latin ‘Antonius,’ Antonio means ‘priceless,’ or ‘of inestimable value.’
Cedro
Cedro is a name that means ‘cedar’ or ‘cedarwood.’
Dino
Pronounced ‘DEE-no,’ Dino means ‘little sword.’
Francesco
Francesco is the Italian form of the French ‘Francis,’ meaning ‘Frenchman’ or ‘free man.’
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL DANTE DAY
Dante is charming
Dante is a charming, masculine name. Its expressive pronunciation sounds beautiful to the ears.
Dante is unique
In a sea of rather common names, Dante is refreshing and rare. Its relatively low level of popularity only makes it more distinctive. There are only a few people in the U.S. who bear the name and we think that’s a cool fact!
Dante is cultural
We love the fact that Dante is not generic but derives its origins from a specific culture. This makes it special to people of Italian heritage.
