Dany is a short form of Daniel or Danielle, from Hebrew meaning God is my judge.
Dany is most commonly understood as a compressed, informal variant of Daniel or Danielle, names rooted in the Hebrew "Daniyel" — a compound of "din" (to judge) and "El" (God), meaning "God is my judge." The name Daniel carries enormous weight in the Abrahamic traditions, belonging to the Hebrew prophet whose visions and miraculous survival in the lions' den are recorded in the book of Daniel. Danielle and its diminutive Dany brought the name fully into the feminine register, particularly in French-speaking cultures where Dany has long been a standalone given name rather than a nickname.
In the twentieth century, Dany was a fashionable name in France, Belgium, and Quebec, borne by actresses, singers, and writers. Dany Carrel, the French actress, brought elegance to the name in 1950s cinema, while the celebrated author and humorist Dany Laferrière, born in Haiti and writing in French, brought it literary prestige when he became the first Caribbean-born member of the Académie française in 2013. The variant spelling distinguishes it from the more common "Danny," giving it a softer, more international character.
In the English-speaking world, Dany gained a significant pop-cultural boost through the "Game of Thrones" phenomenon, where Daenerys Targaryen was frequently called "Dany" by fans, though her name has wholly different roots. This association has made the spelling feel both contemporary and dramatic. As a standalone name, Dany is economical and strong — two syllables that feel equally at home in a French brasserie, a Haitian novel, or a modern nursery.