Fun Facts About the Name Illianna
- 476 babies named Illianna: U.S. records list 476 babies given the name Illianna from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Illianna Mean?
Illianna is a feminine name whose most commonly repeated meaning is "light" or "sun," traced to the Greek name Ηλιάνα (Iliana) and the Greek word ήλιος (hēlios), "sun." That link is a customary interpretation rather than a firmly documented etymology: Greek speakers also use Ηλιάνα as a feminine of Ηλίας (Ilias, Elijah) and sometimes as a familiar form of Ελένη (Eleni, Helen), whose older sense is "light" or "torch." Which of these stands behind the English spelling is not settled.
The same name in South Slavic use carries a different meaning. Bulgarian Илиана and Romanian Iliana are feminine forms of Илия / Ilie, from the Hebrew Eliyahu, "my God is Yahweh." That Hebrew sense belongs to the Slavic tradition, not to the Greek "sun" explanation, even though the two are often blended in lists of name meanings.
Illianna Name History & Origins
The English spelling Illianna is one of several written forms of the name Iliana. In Greek, Ηλιάνα is a familiar feminine name; in Bulgaria, Илиана is established alongside the masculine Илиан and Илия; Romanian uses Iliana in a comparable way. English spellings of the name vary - Iliana, Ilianna, Illiana, and Illianna all appear - and the doubled l and n represent the same sounds as the single letters in Iliana, not a separate source name.
Where the Greek name is understood as the feminine of Ηλίας, it shares in the association of the prophet Elijah, a figure honored in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim tradition. The similar-sounding Eliana is a distinct name with its own separate derivations, so a shared sound or spelling does not mean a shared origin. The spelling Illiana is also used as a modern geographic label for the Illinois - Indiana border area, formed by combining the two state names; that usage applies to places, not to the personal name.
How Popular is the Name Illianna?
Illianna has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2018. Its best rank was #4,928 in 2018.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,796 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2024 | #8,108 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2023 | #5,822 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2022 | #5,701 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #7,059 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2020 | #5,940 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2019 | #8,793 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #4,928 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2017 | #5,231 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2016 | #5,692 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2015 | #5,902 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2014 | #7,438 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2013 | #5,895 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2012 | #5,985 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2011 | #5,276 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2010 | #5,490 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2009 | #6,397 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2008 | #6,650 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2007 | #10,387 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #7,623 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2005 | #8,057 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #13,271 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #10,752 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #11,506 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #9,647 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #12,280 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #10,711 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #11,273 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #14,261 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Illianna Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Illianna's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Illianna's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.