Alanah
Alanah was the 2648th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 65 babies. Its best year was 2012, when it ranked 1136th; the most babies were born in 2008 (223). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,223 places. More babies were named Alanah in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Alana) Origin uncertain · Breton, Celtic
- Rank in 2025
- #2,648 girls, down 597 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 65girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2008223 babies
- Total since 1880
- 4,226babies recorded
What does the name Alanah mean?
Alanah is a spelling of Alana, pronounced the same way, so it shares Alana's meaning and origin.
Alana is a feminine form of Alan, made by adding -a; Wiktionary says it has been in regular use since the 20th century, and Wikipedia calls it a Latinized feminine of Alan with relatively modern use. DMNES notes that in medieval England Latin Alana usually stood for the man's name Alan. Alan itself is Breton and of uncertain origin; DMNES thinks 'deer' most likely. Some families also link Alana with Hawaiian or Gaelic words, but our sources do not support those.
Alan (Breton, “Alan (masculine)”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. A feminine of Alan; Alan's origin is uncertain.
Related names: Alanna, Alannah, Alan, Lana.
See also: Celtic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Alana', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Alana', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wikipedia, 'Alanna', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Alanah popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,648 | 65 |
| 2020 | #2,051 | 90 |
| 2010 | #1,260 | 190 |
| 2000 | #2,123 | 76 |
| 1990 | #2,737 | 42 |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Alanah, counting every spelling?
Alanah is a spelling of Alana, a name family that ranked #86 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #2,648 for Alanah on its own. Together these spellings went to 3,429 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alana | 2,085 | #140 | 8,519 |
| Alanna | 1,099 | #280 | 3,953 |
| Alannah | 123 | #1,674 | 788 |
| Alanah | 65 | #2,648 | 472 |
| Allana | 50 | #3,169 | 217 |
| Allanah | 7 | #11,997 | 52 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Alanah?
65 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Alanah (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Alanah born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 129 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Alanah.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Alanah?
About 4,200 people born in the US named Alanah are alive today, with a median age of 16; half are between 10 and 22. That makes Alanah mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Alanah by state
How common Alanah was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 42 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Alanah: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Alanah, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Alanah
What does Alanah mean?
The origin of Alana is uncertain: a feminine of Alan; Alan's origin is uncertain.
How popular is the name Alanah?
Alanah was the 2648th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 65 babies. Its best year was 2012, when it ranked 1136th; the most babies were born in 2008 (223). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,223 places. More babies were named Alanah in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Alanah a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Alanah in the US.
Where is Alanah most popular?
In 2021–2025, Alanah was most common in Florida (0.08 per 1,000 girls), followed by Ohio and Texas.