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Lana Name Meaning, Origins & History

Lana

Pronunciation: LAH-nuh

Origin Russian Gender Girl
GIRLS RANK
#406
TREND
32
Peak Years
1948, 1947, 1949
Lowest Years
1908, 1891, 1885
Energy Archetype
Wise & Balanced

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Lana in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Lana

  • More than 57 thousand babies named Lana: U.S. records list 57,449 babies given the name Lana from 1880 through 2025. Even 15 boys received the name Lana - about 1 boy for every 3,829 girls.

What Does the Name Lana Mean?

Lana is a female given name with several separate origins, so no single meaning applies to every use. In English, Lana is commonly a shortened form of Alana, the feminine of Alan. The etymology of Alan is disputed: it may come from the name of the Alans, an Iranian nomadic people, or from a Celtic element, but its meaning is not settled. In Slavic languages, Lana is used as an independent name. It is sometimes connected with Croatian and Serbian lan, 'flax,' and sometimes explained as a short form of names such as Svetlana, from Slavic svet, 'light,' or Ruslana, from a Turkic word for 'lion.' In Arabic, Lana (لانا) is also used as a given name; it is often linked to the verb lāna, 'to be soft' or 'gentle,' though the common word lanā means 'to us' and is a different word. In Hawaiian, lana is a word meaning 'to float' or 'calm,' and the name can be used from that source. These derivations are separate, and a similar sound does not prove a shared origin.

Lana Name History & Origins

In English, Lana developed as a short form of Alana, which is the feminine of Alan. Alan was a common given name in Brittany and was borne by several Breton saints; it spread to England and other parts of Europe after the Norman Conquest. The feminine form Alana is later, and Lana appears as a shorter form of it. The actress Lana Turner (1921 - 1995) was a prominent 20th-century bearer of the name in the United States.

In Slavic-speaking countries, Lana has been used as a given name in its own right, especially in Croatian, Serbian, and Slovenian. It may derive from lan, 'flax,' or it may be a diminutive of Svetlana, Ruslana, or other names ending in -lana. In Russian, Lana is a common short form of Svetlana, a name based on svet, 'light.'

In Arabic, Lana (لانا) is a separate given name. It is often associated with the verb lāna, 'to be soft' or 'gentle,' but its history as a name is not as well documented in English-language sources. In Hawaiian, lana means 'to float' or 'calm,' and the name is sometimes used from that word; this is a separate origin from the European and Arabic names.

How Popular is the Name Lana?

Lana recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1948. Its best rank was #188 in 1948.

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.

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 Lana Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.

✦ Lana's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lana's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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