Alana

How to say it

/əˈlɑn.ə/

What it means

Feminine form of Alan, possibly from Celtic alyn ('harmony') or Irish ailín ('little rock'). Possibly also a Hawaiian word meaning 'offering.' Alana de la Garza (Law & Order) and Alana Haim (the band Haim) are modern English-language anchors.

Alana is the feminine form of Alan, an Irish (or possibly Brittonic) name with disputed roots. Candidate meanings include 'harmony' (from a Celtic root alyn), 'little rock' (from Irish ailín), and 'noble' or 'precious child' (Old Breton). Confusingly, alana also exists as a Hawaiian word meaning 'offering' — a separate root that converged in modern English usage. Alana Haim (Haim the rock band, Licorice Pizza, 2021) and Alana de la Garza (Law & Order) are the modern English-language anchors. The name has been in the US top 300 since the 1990s. Common short: Lana (which is a separate Russian-origin name in its own right).

Heads-up notes

• Pronunciation

  uh-LAH-na, three syllables, stress on the second. Not AL-uh-na.

Who's worn it

Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.

• Alana Haim American musician, the eldest Haim sister; star of Licorice Pizza
• Alana de la Garza American actress, Law & Order and FBI

Spelling variants

• Alanna
• Alaina

Names with the same feeling

• Amaya End, or 'night rain'
• Amara Grace, or 'eternal'
• Aria Air, melody, or lioness
• Luna Moon
• Ayla Halo of light, or 'oak tree'

See Alana from another angle