Alana
Meaning of Alana
Alana is a feminine form of Alan, a name whose origin and meaning are uncertain, though "little rock" and "handsome" are often suggested. It has also been linked to the Irish endearment a leanbh, meaning "O child." In English it is pronounced uh-LAH-nuh, and uh-LAN-uh is also heard.
Well-known bearers include Alana Beard, the former WNBA star who was twice named Defensive Player of the Year, and actress Alana de la Garza, known for playing Connie Rubirosa on Law & Order.
In the U.S., Alana came into wider use in the 1940s. The largest number of girls given the name in one year was 2,461, in 2007. After slipping to 232nd in 2019, the name has risen sharply, reaching 140th with 2,085 babies in 2025, its highest rank yet.
Pronunciation
Irish Gaelic
- Pronunced as ah-LAH-nah (/a:ˈla:nax/)
English
- Pronunced as uh-LAH-nuh (/əˈlænə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Alana
| Alana Beard is an American former WNBA star, a Duke alum drafted second overall by the Washington Mystics in 2004, who later starred for the Los Angeles Sparks, was a two time Defensive Player of the Year, retired in 2020, and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025. |
| Alana de la Garza is an American actress best known for playing Connie Rubirosa in the Law and Order franchise and for roles in CSI Miami, Forever, Criminal Minds Beyond Borders, and the FBI franchise. |
| Alana Rene Blanchard is an American pro surfer and model who has competed on the ASP World Tour. |
| Alana Boyd - Alana Quade is an Australian former pole vaulter and Olympian. |
| Alana Tadege Gebremariam is a Belarusian pro-democracy activist and feminist who became the first woman of African ancestry to run in the 2019 general election. |
| Alana Woodward is a former AFLW player who represented Sydney, Richmond and St Kilda. |
