Lana Girl

Popularity: #373 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LAH-nah /ˈlɑː.nə/

Origin: Latin; Slavic; Hebrew

Meaning: Latin: 'light' or 'bright'; Slavic: 'calm'; Hebrew: 'weary'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Lana has roots that can be traced back to multiple linguistic traditions. It is often considered a diminutive of the name Alana, which has origins in the Old Breton word "alan," meaning "handsome" or "cheerful." The name Alana itself is derived from the Gaelic name Ailín, which is a diminutive of Ail, meaning "rock" or "noble." The transition into English occurred through the influence of Celtic languages and the Norman Conquest, which introduced many Breton names into the English lexicon.

Additionally, Lana has been associated with the Latin word "lana," meaning "wool," which has contributed to its usage in various cultures, including Slavic languages where it is often linked to the meaning "light" or "shining." Historically, the name Lana has seen various notable figures and cultural references. While not directly mentioned in biblical texts, the name Alana appears in medieval literature and has been borne by several saints and noblewomen throughout the centuries.

The name gained further recognition in the 20th century through literature and popular culture, although specific milestones are less documented. The name's simplicity and melodic quality have contributed to its appeal in various artistic expressions, including music and film, particularly in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Culturally, Lana carries connotations of beauty and grace, often associated with nature and light. In some traditions, the name is linked to the idea of a gentle spirit or a nurturing presence.

This symbolic resonance has allowed the name to endure across different cultures and languages. The diminutive form "Lani" is also noted in some contexts, particularly in Hawaiian culture, where it means "heavenly" or "sky." Overall, the name Lana encapsulates a blend of historical significance and cultural richness, reflecting its diverse origins and meanings.

Famous people named Lana

In this section, you will find notable people named Lana. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Lana who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Lana who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Lana Del Rey is a singer and songwriter best known for Born to Die, Summertime Sadness, and Video Games.

Lana Parrilla is an actress best known for Once Upon a Time, Spin City, and The Defender.

Lana Wachowski is a filmmaker best known for The Matrix series, Cloud Atlas, and Sense8.

Fictional characters named Lana

The following list of fictional characters named Lana is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Lana Kane is a fictional character from the animated television series Archer. She is a skilled field agent and the primary love interest of the show's protagonist, Sterling Archer.

Lana is a fictional character from the video game series Bioshock Infinite. She is a key figure in the story, representing themes of choice and consequence as she aids the protagonist, Booker DeWitt.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Lana, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Lana. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Lana was first seen in the United States in 1885.

Lana has ranked as high as #354 nationally, which occurred in 1948, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Lana has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Lana is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Lana was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Lana.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 768 0 768
2024 830 0 830
2023 737 0 737
2022 750 0 750
2021 828 0 828
2020 793 0 793
2019 814 0 814
2018 872 0 872
2017 847 0 847
2016 847 0 847
2015 922 0 922
2014 943 0 943
2013 732 0 732
2012 708 0 708
2011 608 0 608
2010 628 0 628
2009 707 0 707
2008 731 0 731
2007 813 0 813
2006 773 0 773
2005 705 0 705
2004 640 0 640
2003 573 0 573
2002 380 0 380
2001 235 0 235
2000 209 0 209
1999 206 0 206
1998 186 0 186
1997 179 0 179
1996 182 0 182
1995 206 0 206
1994 192 0 192
1993 217 0 217
1992 231 0 231
1991 233 0 233
1990 251 0 251
1989 304 0 304
1988 328 0 328
1987 324 0 324
1986 302 0 302
1985 337 0 337
1984 376 0 376
1983 344 0 344
1982 334 0 334
1981 379 0 379
1980 456 0 456
1979 417 0 417
1978 511 0 511
1977 474 0 474
1976 384 0 384
1975 445 0 445
1974 457 0 457
1973 460 0 460
1972 600 0 600
1971 707 0 707
1970 780 0 780
1969 863 5 858
1968 804 0 804
1967 919 0 919
1966 876 0 876
1965 781 0 781
1964 883 0 883
1963 817 0 817
1962 787 0 787
1961 819 0 819
1960 776 0 776
1959 724 0 724
1958 672 0 672
1957 650 0 650
1956 680 0 680
1955 770 0 770
1954 811 0 811
1953 1,009 0 1,009
1952 1,104 0 1,104
1951 1,198 0 1,198
1950 1,314 0 1,314
1949 1,318 0 1,318
1948 1,470 5 1,465
1947 1,364 0 1,364
1946 1,300 0 1,300
1945 946 0 946
1944 901 0 901
1943 1,004 5 999
1942 857 0 857
1941 625 0 625
1940 424 0 424
1939 87 0 87
1938 40 0 40
1937 17 0 17
1936 13 0 13
1935 15 0 15
1934 19 0 19
1933 14 0 14
1932 13 0 13
1931 11 0 11
1930 22 0 22
1929 19 0 19
1928 17 0 17
1927 26 0 26
1926 22 0 22
1925 36 0 36
1924 26 0 26
1923 23 0 23
1922 26 0 26
1921 21 0 21
1920 14 0 14
1919 18 0 18
1918 22 0 22
1917 22 0 22
1916 21 0 21
1915 14 0 14
1914 9 0 9
1913 7 0 7
1912 10 0 10
1911 9 0 9
1910 10 0 10
1909 6 0 6
1908 5 0 5
1907 6 0 6
1906 8 0 8
1905 14 0 14
1904 6 0 6
1903 9 0 9
1902 8 0 8
1901 9 0 9
1900 10 0 10
1897 7 0 7
1896 11 0 11
1895 7 0 7
1894 8 0 8
1893 14 0 14
1892 11 0 11
1891 5 0 5
1888 9 0 9
1887 6 0 6
1885 6 0 6

Top States for Lana (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 147
19%
TX 78
10%
FL 53
7%
NY 51
6%
IL 46
6%
MI 37
5%
PA 31
4%
GA 29
4%
NC 24
3%
VA 22
3%
NJ 21
3%
OH 20
3%
WA 20
3%
IN 20
3%
MA 19
2%
MN 16
2%
AL 16
2%
OR 15
2%
MD 14
2%
AZ 14
2%
TN 12
2%
CO 11
1%
LA 10
1%
KY 9
1%
CT 8
1%
MO 8
1%
NV 8
1%
WI 7
1%
OK 6
1%
HI 6
1%
UT 5
1%
ND 5
1%
RI 5
1%