UK girl's name
Alania
Of Greek origin, meaning "having noble roots or beginnings".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Alania is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Alania popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5691, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 3 births.
This profile covers 9 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2003 to 2014. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 9 living people in the UK are called Alania. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2015 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Alania ranked #5691 for girls in England and Wales in 2014, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2003, when 3 girls were registered as Alania.
- • About 9 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alania as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5691
2014
Births in 2014
3
Latest year
Peak year
2003
3 births
Estimated living
9
2026
Meaning
What does Alania mean?
The name Alania has its origins in the ancient region of Alania, located in the Caucasus mountains between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. This area was once inhabited by the Alans, an Iranian nomadic pastoral people who settled there in the 1st century AD. The name is derived from the word "Alan," which is believed to have meant "mountaineer" or "free man" in the Alan language.
Alania was the name given to the kingdom established by the Alans in this region during the Middle Ages. The Alans were well-known as skilled warriors and played a significant role in the military campaigns of various empires, including the Byzantine Empire and the Khazar Khaganate. Historical records mention the Alans as early as the 1st century AD, with references to their interactions with the Roman Empire and other ancient civilizations.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alania can be found in the writings of the Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea (c. 500-565 AD), who described the Alans as a formidable people living in the Caucasus region. The name Alania also appears in medieval Armenian and Georgian chronicles, reflecting the cultural and political significance of this kingdom in the region.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Alania. One of the most famous was Alania of Brittany (c. 1098-1153), a Breton noblewoman and the wife of Stephen, King of England. Another notable figure was Alania di Saluzzo (c. 1285-1311), an Italian noblewoman and the Countess of Saluzzo.
In the realm of religion, there was Alania of Antioch (c. 640-690 AD), a Christian martyr and saint who was executed for her faith during the reign of the Umayyad Caliphate. The medieval Persian poet Alania Rumi (c. 1207-1273) was also a well-known figure in the literary world of his time.
During the Renaissance period, Alania Bastarda (c. 1460-1555) was an Italian painter and the daughter of the celebrated artist Piero della Francesca. She was renowned for her contributions to the art of portraiture and religious paintings.
While the name Alania has its roots in the ancient Caucasus region, it has been used across various cultures and time periods, reflecting the diverse historical and cultural influences that have shaped its meaning and significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Alania over time
The chart below shows babies named Alania registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 to 2014. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Alania, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2014, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alania by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alania was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5691 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #4965 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Alania
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Alania: questions and answers
How popular is the name Alania in the UK right now?
In 2014, Alania was ranked #5691 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Alania most popular?
The peak year on record was 2003, with 3 babies registered as Alania in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Alania?
Of Greek origin, meaning "having noble roots or beginnings".
How many people are called Alania in the UK?
A total of 9 babies have been registered as Alania across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.