Child, in an affectionate Irish-associated naming interpretation.
Alannah explicitly lists Alanna as an alternative and associates the name with the Anglo-Irish term of address alanna, child, borrowed from Irish a leanbh, O child. This is an affectionate association alongside the separately documented Alan/Alana formation, not a universal literal derivation. It supports the child component of the licensed dear-child gloss; the fair and beautiful claims remain uncorroborated. No personality, age or nationality is assigned to a bearer.
Origin
Alan-related formation; a spelling of Alana.
The English given-name entry records a feminine Alan form and an Alana spelling. It does not settle the disputed meaning of Alan, so no definitive literal meaning is added.
English pronunciation
/ɑˈlɑnə/
US English dictionary reading of this exact spelling. CMUdict does not identify a bearer or particular name tradition; native-language and preferred readings may differ. Adapted from ARPABET to broad IPA and an approximate reading guide. Original ARPABET: AA0 L AA1 N AH0.
Recorded English reading, as published. Accents and preferred pronunciations can differ.
Published name usage
Counts apply only to the exact spelling, place, year and recorded usage shown. Places are separate; these figures are never added into a worldwide total. Missing or suppressed records never mean zero.
Latest published record available for this spelling in each place and recorded usage
Place
Year
Recorded usage
Published births
Rank
Notes
Canada
2025
Girls
49 · preliminary
611
2025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
France
2025
Girls
15 (rounded to 5)
2145
Counts are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Ranks use unrounded publisher counts with randomly ordered ties; equally rounded counts can have different ranks. National coverage excludes Mayotte before 2012. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Automated direction labels are withheld for this rounded-count series. Rank basis: source published.
England & Wales
2025
Girls
44
816
Published ranks differ from ranks calculated over visible rows. Counts retained; automated trend labels withheld. Rank basis: source published.
Northern Ireland
2025
Girls
7
231
Two rank discrepancies and alternate-view differences retained. Automated trend labels withheld. Rank basis: source published.
Scotland
2024
Girls
6
476
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Ireland
2025
Girls
14
294
Names below three occurrences are unpublished. Accent recording changed in 2018; comparisons across that boundary may not describe the same spelling coverage. Counts refer to registrations in the year. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
United States
2025
Girls
1,099
280
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
United States
1989
Boys
7
6229
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
Canada, Ireland and France coverage includes confidently matched existing profiles only; unmatched spellings are awaiting review. French counts are rounded to five.
Sources & notes
Open an entry for its source, credit, licence and full qualifications. Different name traditions remain separate.
Language of use: English
Checked against cited source
The exact English entry documents given-name use. Language of use is separate from etymological origin and does not establish a literal meaning.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Meaning: Child, in an affectionate Irish-associated naming interpretation.
Checked against cited source
Alannah explicitly lists Alanna as an alternative and associates the name with the Anglo-Irish term of address alanna, child, borrowed from Irish a leanbh, O child. This is an affectionate association alongside the separately documented Alan/Alana formation, not a universal literal derivation. It supports the child component of the licensed dear-child gloss; the fair and beautiful claims remain uncorroborated. No personality, age or nationality is assigned to a bearer. Credit: Wiktionary contributors; adapted and condensed by Rare Baby Names. Spellings keep separate popularity records.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Name history: An Alan-related feminine form and spelling of Alana.
Checked against cited source
The exact reviewed entry documents this formation but supplies no settled literal meaning for Alan. The licensed fair and dear-child glosses are not treated as one universal etymology.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Origin: Alan-related formation; a spelling of Alana.
Checked against cited source
The English given-name entry records a feminine Alan form and an Alana spelling. It does not settle the disputed meaning of Alan, so no definitive literal meaning is added.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
English pronunciation: /ɑˈlɑnə/
Checked against cited source
US English dictionary reading of this exact spelling. CMUdict does not identify a bearer or particular name tradition; native-language and preferred readings may differ. Adapted from ARPABET to broad IPA and an approximate reading guide. Original ARPABET: AA0 L AA1 N AH0.
Credit: Carnegie Mellon University and CMUdict contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: selected exact-spelling dictionary readings converted from ARPABET to broad IPA, with qualified syllable counts. CMUdict does not identify a bearer’s preferred pronunciation or name tradition.
Copyright (C) 1993-2015 Carnegie Mellon University. All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
are met:
1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
The contents of this file are deemed to be source code.
2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
distribution.
This work was supported in part by funding from the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency, the Office of Naval Research and the National
Science Foundation of the United States of America, and by member
companies of the Carnegie Mellon Sphinx Speech Consortium. We acknowledge
the contributions of many volunteers to the expansion and improvement of
this dictionary.
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY ``AS IS'' AND
ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
NOR ITS EMPLOYEES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
Supporting name evidence for the reviewed explanation or given-name sense. Parent-name meanings and native-language readings apply only to the stated tradition; they are not automatically transferred to every bearer.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Supporting evidence: Alannah: affectionate Irish association alongside Alan-related formation
Checked against cited source
The exact given-name entry connects Alanna as an alternative spelling and separately describes the affectionate term association. It does not supply evidence for a universal fair or beautiful gloss. Credit: Wiktionary contributors; adapted and condensed by Rare Baby Names. Spellings keep separate popularity records.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Supporting evidence: alanna: Irish-derived affectionate term of address
Checked against cited source
The lowercase word is explicitly child as an Irish dialect term of address, from Irish a leanbh. It supports only the association independently documented in the given-name entry; a word homograph alone is not treated as proof of name origin. Credit: Wiktionary contributors; adapted and condensed by Rare Baby Names. Spellings keep separate popularity records.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Syllables: 3 (recorded US English dictionary reading)
Checked against cited source
Count of vowel phonemes in this reviewed dictionary reading; other readings can differ. Original ARPABET: AA0 L AA1 N AH0.
Credit: Carnegie Mellon University and CMUdict contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: selected exact-spelling dictionary readings converted from ARPABET to broad IPA, with qualified syllable counts. CMUdict does not identify a bearer’s preferred pronunciation or name tradition.
Copyright (C) 1993-2015 Carnegie Mellon University. All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
are met:
1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
The contents of this file are deemed to be source code.
2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
distribution.
This work was supported in part by funding from the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency, the Office of Naval Research and the National
Science Foundation of the United States of America, and by member
companies of the Carnegie Mellon Sphinx Speech Consortium. We acknowledge
the contributions of many volunteers to the expansion and improvement of
this dictionary.
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY ``AS IS'' AND
ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
NOR ITS EMPLOYEES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
Explicit variant spelling in the reviewed given-name etymology.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Spelling variant: Alannah
Checked against cited source
Explicit alternative-form relationship in the Alannah given-name entry. This does not transfer a preferred pronunciation or merge distinct naming histories. Credit: Wiktionary contributors; adapted and condensed by Rare Baby Names. Spellings keep separate popularity records.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
Credit: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
License: Statistics Canada Open Licence
Adaptation: Adapted from Statistics Canada, First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators, Table 17-10-0147-01, reference years 1991–2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
Credit: Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
License: CC BY 4.0
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: joined the published count and rank indicators and matched unambiguous existing spellings. Source values retained.
Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
Credit: Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
License: Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab)
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: column names and sex codes mapped and unique case-only spellings matched to existing profiles. Published rounded counts and ranks retained.
