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Alannah

♀ Girl

Pronounced uh-LAN-uh /ə.ˈlæn.ə/Medium

Meaning: from the Irish endearment a leanbh meaning "O child, darling"Medium

In 30 seconds: Alannah comes from the Irish endearment a leanbh, meaning 'O child, darling'.

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Origin MediumIrish, English

Meaningfrom the Irish endearment a leanbh meaning "O child, darling"

U.S. rank (2025)#1674 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births123 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2015

Total births (all-time)≈ 7,390

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Unusually, this name grew from a term of affection rather than a noun or place: the Irish a leanbh, used to mean 'O child' or 'darling'. Spoken aloud as a tender address, it gradually settled into use as a given name. Its warmth is built right into its origin.

It sits among a family of Irish-flavored names, from Alana and Alanna to Alaina and Alayna, that share its soft, flowing sound.

Did you know? Alannah is a spelling variant of Alana, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'origin uncertain' while changing the visual style.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Alannah — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

AlainaAlanaAlanisAlannaAlayna

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Alannah Myles (1958-)
Canadian rock singer known for the hit Black Velvet
★Alannah Hill (1962-)
Australian fashion designer

If you like Alannah…

Alana— a close Irish-rooted relative sharing the same sound

Alanna— a doubled-n variant of the same name

Alaina— a related spelling in the same Irish family

Alayna— a phonetic variant grouped with Alannah

Alanis— a related Irish-style name with the same opening

Explore names like Alannah

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Alannah mean?

Alannah is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Irish tradition.

How do you pronounce Alannah?

It's commonly said uh-LAN-uh /ə.ˈlæn.ə/.

Is Alannah a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Alannah is used as a girl name.

How popular is Alannah?

In 2024, Alannah ranked #1506 in the U.S. for girls, with 143 births recorded.