Given name & surname
Rana
“an eyecatching, beautiful object”·“an eye-catching woman; to gaze upon”
Rana is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “an eyecatching, beautiful object” and “an eye-catching woman; to gaze upon” (Arabic). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “an eyecatching, beautiful object” and “an eye-catching woman; to gaze upon” (Arabic). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Arabic.
How it developed
From Hindi राना, from Spanish Rana, from Galician Raña.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1942. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Rana through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,732
- 179 boys · 4,553 girls
- Most popular year
- 1971
- 120 babies
- 2025
- 65
- #3,203 for girls · #6,073 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −6%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 15% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 50 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,203 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 6.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 120 in 1971. It also appeared in 15 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (12). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 8,124 as a first name in 2020; 9,881 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Rana’s family of names
Rana has a related form in Rand. Rana has a related form in Raniyah. Rana has a related form in Ra'naa.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Rana
- Rana DajaniJordanian biologist, and academicborn 2000
- Rana SangaMaharana of Mewar1482–1528
- Rana AyyubIndian Journalistborn 1984
- Rana Bahadur ShahKing of Nepal1775–1806
- Rana el KalioubyEgyptian-American computer scientist and entrepreneurborn 1978
- Rana HusseinDaughter of Saddam Husseinborn 1971
- Rana AzadivarIranian actressborn 1983
- Rana AhmadSyrian activistborn 1985
- Rana SanaullahBehan ka lodaborn 1952
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rana, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Roula
Roula is a feminine given name from Arabic. It is used in French.
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“fair-haired woman” · “one who bears the burden”
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Jamila
“a beautiful and elegant lady”
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Khalilah
“a beloved friend”
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Aisha
“lively; womanly”
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Talitha
“a maiden; young girl”
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Sara
“princess”
>99% girls