Elana

Elana - A very unique female name

Elana appeared on the charts for the first time in 1946 on position #1858. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Elana and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Elana? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Elana. The baby girl name Elana was given to 41 baby girls in 2025, ranking #2166 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 31,792 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Elana peaked in popularity 66 years ago in 1960 on position 851.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Elana, 1-5?

Elana is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Elana is currently topping the baby name charts in Georgia at position #1,251 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,867.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Elana is where you live.

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Elana origin and meaning

Uncertain — variant of Ilana or Elena

Uncertain — depending on the route, from Hebrew Ilana, 'tree,' or from Elena in the Helen family, whose meaning is also disputed

Elana sits between two established names: Hebrew Ilana ('tree') and Elena. Families use it for both reasons, and the spelling alone does not show which, so its meaning is honestly uncertain. It peaked in 2006 and is falling.

Origin uncertain

Elana is a 5 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Elana, pop culture references for the name Elana and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Elana

We've found the following names that sound similar to Elana, sorted by popularity.

Elaine / Ellen / Eileen / Elena / Eliana / Elaina / Elliana / Elma / Elianna / Ellianna /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Elana

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Elana a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Elana?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

eh-LAH-nah · /əˈlɑnə/
eh-LAH-nah, eh-LAY-nah and eh-LAN-ah are all heard.

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Ilana — A separate established Hebrew name that is one possible source
• Alana — A separate established name with a similar sound
• Elena — A separate established name that is the other possible source

Nicknames: Lana

Famous bearers

• Elana Meyers Taylor — American bobsledder, multiple Olympic medallist (b. 1984) Contemporary

Style

International

Why parents choose it

A soft, ambiguous name that can honour either a Hebrew or a European family tradition.

Worth knowing

• Three plausible pronunciations and two plausible origins — expect to explain both