How to say it
LA · na
/ˈlɑː.nə/
Feminine
Lana
Light, or calm
What it means
A short form of Svetlana ('light') or Alana; in Hawaiian, 'calm, afloat, buoyant.'
Lana arrives from a few directions: as a short for the Slavic Svetlana, 'light,' or for Alana, and as a Hawaiian word for 'calm' or 'floating.' Lana Turner made it a Hollywood name in the 1940s, and Lana Del Rey carries it now; Smallville added Lana Lang. Short, smooth, and a little glamorous. Said LAH-nah or LAN-ah.
Popularity over time
peaked at #188 in 1948, currently #406 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
LAH-nah and LAN-ah both circulate.
- Spelling
A short for Svetlana ('light') or Alana; also Hawaiian for 'calm.'
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.
- Lana Turner Hollywood film star of the 1940s and 50s
- Lana Del Rey American singer-songwriter
Spelling variants
- Lanna
- Lahna
- Alana
Names with the same feeling
See Lana from another angle
By meaning