Lana
Girl name · #406 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Lana? In official American birth records, Lana has been tracked continuously since 1885, giving it 140 years of documented American history.
Lana is currently the #406 girl name in the United States — 768 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #355, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,344 girls born in 2025 was named Lana.
The 140-year story
Lana first appears in the Social Security records in 1885, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1948, when 1,465 girls were named Lana — good for #188 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Lana per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lana against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lana in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lana is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Lana is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lana is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Lana is most common in HI (4.7 per 1,000), NJ (0.9 per 1,000), CT (0.9 per 1,000), WA (0.9 per 1,000), OR (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Lana is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Lana
Lana belongs to the Juliana family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Juliana family went to about 2,750 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #89, versus #406 for Lana alone.
Names like Lana
Statistically, parents drawn to Lana tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Diana, Myra, Faye, Jana, and Jane.
DianaMyraFayeJanaJaneLaraGwenRegina
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lana | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 768 | #406 |
| 2024 | 830 | #374 |
| 2023 | 737 | #416 |
| 2022 | 750 | #421 |
| 2021 | 828 | #376 |
| 2020 | 793 | #393 |
| 2019 | 814 | #384 |
| 2018 | 872 | #360 |
| 2017 | 847 | #368 |
| 2016 | 847 | #391 |
| 2015 | 922 | #355 |
| 2014 | 943 | #352 |
| 2013 | 732 | #414 |
| 2012 | 708 | #441 |
| 2011 | 608 | #487 |
| 2010 | 628 | #480 |
| 2009 | 707 | #445 |
| 2008 | 731 | #432 |
| 2007 | 813 | #405 |
| 2006 | 773 | #412 |
| 2005 | 705 | #437 |
| 2004 | 640 | #464 |
| 2003 | 573 | #501 |
| 2002 | 380 | #667 |
| 2001 | 235 | #940 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Lana?
In official American birth records, the name Lana first appeared in 1885 (over 140 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Lana a popular girl name?
Lana ranked #406 among girls in 2025 with 768 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #355.
When was the name Lana most popular?
Lana peaked in 1948, when 1,465 American girls received the name (ranked #188 that year). Since 1948 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lana?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,344 newborn American girls was named Lana. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.