Fun Facts About the Name Wakana
- 25 babies named Wakana: U.S. records list 25 babies given the name Wakana from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Wakana Mean?
Wakana is a Japanese feminine given name usually written 若菜. It combines 若 (waka), "young," with 菜 (na), "greens, herbs, or leafy vegetables." The literal sense is "young greens" or "young herbs," particularly the edible wild plants gathered in early spring. The same compound is an ordinary Japanese word as well as a name. Because Japanese names can use different kanji for the same sound, a Wakana written with other characters may have a different meaning; 若菜 is the spelling associated with "young spring greens."
Wakana Name History & Origins
The elements 若 and 菜 are native Japanese words, and 若菜 appears in classical Japanese as a term for the first spring greens. It is also the title of two consecutive chapters of Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji, written in the early eleventh century; the chapters use young herbs as a seasonal and poetic image. That is a literary use of the word, not evidence that the personal name was created by the author. As a given name, Wakana fits the Japanese practice of drawing names from natural words and is commonly written 若菜, though other kanji spellings occur.
How Popular is the Name Wakana?
Wakana 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 2011. Its best rank was #15,397 in 1991.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | #19,440 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #20,420 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #17,539 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #16,506 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #15,397 | 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.
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with W
How the Name Wakana Shapes Your Personality and Life?
To express itself, you must follow the divine law of love. You have great persistence and hate to give up. You are a good mixer, charming, magnetic and intuitive. The spirituality is the key to success. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Wakana's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Wakana's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.