Pronunciation
A-la-na
Meaning
Dear child, associated with the Irish expression a leanbh
Alternate spellings
Alanna
Fun fact
Alana’s Irish connection comes from a term of endearment for a child. It can be understood as dear child or my darling, which I think is such a sweet meaning.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Alana, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
#247Rank among girl names in 202517Babies registered in 2025
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | #247 |
| 2024 | 18 | #232 |
| 2023 | 13 | #296 |
| 2022 | 17 | #254 |
| 2021 | 15 | #284 |
| 2020 | 20 | #220 |
| 2019 | 24 | #201 |
| 2018 | 22 | #218 |
| 2017 | 14 | #316 |
| 2016 | 11 | #390 |
| 2015 | 31 | #180 |
| 2014 | 24 | #219 |
| 2013 | 30 | #193 |
| 2012 | 34 | #172 |
| 2011 | 37 | #162 |
| 2010 | 40 | #153 |
| 2009 | 38 | #161 |
| 2008 | 43 | #141 |
| 2007 | 42 | #144 |
| 2006 | 60 | #94 |
| 2005 | 40 | #123 |
| 2004 | 63 | #89 |
| 2003 | 53 | #94 |
| 2002 | 49 | #101 |
| 2001 | 50 | #96 |
| 2000 | 31 | #132 |
| 1999 | 40 | #100 |
| 1998 | 27 | #136 |
| 1997 | 44 | #117 |
| 1996 | 31 | #160 |
| 1995 | 20 | #196 |
| 1994 | 19 | #206 |
| 1993 | 14 | #254 |
| 1992 | 8 | #338 |
| 1991 | 14 | #250 |
| 1990 | 8 | #336 |
| 1989 | 7 | #353 |
| 1988 | 7 | #359 |
| 1987 | 11 | #296 |
| 1986 | 6 | #388 |
| 1985 | 13 | #267 |
| 1984 | 15 | #252 |
| 1983 | 10 | #313 |
| 1982 | 9 | #333 |
| 1981 | 7 | #363 |
| 1980 | 5 | #432 |
| 1979 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1978 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1977 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1976 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1975 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1974 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1973 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1972 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1971 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1970 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.