Given name & surname
Tana
Tana is a feminine given name. It is used in English and Sakizaya.
Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Tana isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1924. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Tana through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 9,280
- 6 boys · 9,274 girls
- Most popular year
- 1962
- 241 babies
- 2025
- 5
- #17,017 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −42%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 5 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 17,017 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 42.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 241 in 1962. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 8,201 as a first name in 2020; 246 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.
Tana’s family of names
In English usage, Tana has a related form in Tanya. In Greek usage, Tana is a transliteration of Τάνα. In Greek usage, Tana as a surname is a transliteration of Τανά.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 5
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Tana
- Tana FrenchAmerican-Irish writer and theatrical actressborn 1973
- Tana AdelanaNigerian actress, producer, model, TV presenter and entrepreneurborn 1984
- Tana MongeauAmerican Internet personalityborn 1998
- Tana KaleyaPolish born photographer1939–2015
- Tana ChanabutThai footballerborn 1984
- Tana De ZuluetaItalian politicianborn 1951
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Tana, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Tamera
“date palm”
>99% girls
Tina
Tina is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the river; also shortened torm of names ending in -tina.”
>99% girls
Tammy
Tammy is connected with Tamara and Tamsin in English naming traditions.
>99% girls
Lynna
“a man of the lake”
>99% girls
Johnna
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Zina
“A secret spirit” · “welcoming”
>99% girls
Luanna
“one who is content and enjoys life”
>99% girls
Jana
“God is gracious” · “he answers”
>99% girls