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Roxanna
Pronounced rok-SAN-ə /rɑkˈsæn.ə/High
Meaning: Bright, shining, dawn; Latinate elaboration of Roxana, from Persian RoshanakHigh
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
Roxanna elaborates Roxana, the Greek rendering of Persian Roshanak, 'bright, luminous, little star of dawn'. The name entered Western memory with Alexander the Great's wife and resurfaced in literature for centuries — Defoe's scandalous Roxana (1724), the dazzling Roxane of Cyrano de Bergerac, and eventually The Police's inescapable 'Roxanne'.
American parents used Roxanna steadily through the nineteenth century — it has a covered-wagon vintage charm — before Roxanne became the standard modern form. Today Roxanna is rare, with Roxie standing by as its ready-made nickname.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- ★Roxanna Panufnik (1968-)British composer of choral, operatic and orchestral works
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Roxanna mean?
Roxanna comes from Persian Roshanak, via Greek Roxana, and means 'bright', 'shining', or 'dawn'.
How do you pronounce Roxanna?
It's said rok-SAN-ə /rɑkˈsæn.ə/ — three syllables, stress on the second.
Is Roxanna a boy or girl name?
Roxanna is a girl's name.
How popular is Roxanna?
Roxanna is a rare name in the U.S. today, a vintage elaboration of the better-known Roxanne.