UK girl's name
Lyanna
A feminine name of Italian origin, perhaps derived from the flower lilac.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Lyanna is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Lyanna popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1230, with 27 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 27 births.
This profile covers 147 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 2008 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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.
Lyanna is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 160 living people in the UK are called Lyanna. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Lyanna ranked #1230 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 27 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 27 girls were registered as Lyanna.
- • Lyanna ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #424 in 2019.
- • About 160 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lyanna as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1230
2024
Births in 2024
27
Latest year
Peak year
2024
27 births
Estimated living
160
2026
Meaning
What does Lyanna mean?
The name Lyanna is a variant of the name Liana, which is derived from the Latin word "liana," meaning "a type of woody vine." This name has its roots in ancient Rome, where these vines were a common sight in the Mediterranean region.
In the Middle Ages, the name Liana became popular among European nobility, particularly in Italy and France. It was often associated with grace, beauty, and a connection to nature. The variant spelling Lyanna emerged during this time, likely influenced by regional dialects and linguistic shifts.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Lyanna can be found in a 12th-century French text, where it was used to describe a character renowned for her elegance and charm. However, the name remained relatively uncommon until the Renaissance period.
During the Renaissance, the name Lyanna gained popularity among artists and intellectuals who were inspired by classical Roman and Greek culture. It was seen as a symbol of refinement and appreciation for the natural world. Notable individuals bearing this name from this era include Lyanna Sforza (1463-1524), an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts.
In the 17th century, the name Lyanna made its way to England, where it was adopted by some aristocratic families. One notable figure was Lyanna Cavendish (1598-1668), a writer and philosopher who was part of the intellectual circle surrounding the renowned poet John Donne.
The 19th century saw the name Lyanna gain traction in other parts of Europe, particularly in Germany and Scandinavia. A notable bearer of this name was Lyanna Brandt (1819-1892), a German painter and one of the first women to be admitted to the prestigious Dresden Academy of Fine Arts.
In the 20th century, the name Lyanna experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in the United States and other English-speaking countries. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Lyanna Mormont, a fictional character from the popular "Game of Thrones" book and television series, known for her fierce loyalty and bravery.
Other notable individuals with the name Lyanna include Lyanna Gooden (born 1980), an American model and actress, and Lyanna Gomez (born 1992), a Colombian-American actress and singer.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lyanna over time
The chart below shows babies named Lyanna registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Lyanna, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 27 births in 2024, compared with 27 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lyanna by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lyanna 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2257 | 78 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3048 | 66 | 6 |
| 2000s | #5545 | 3 | 1 |
Geography
Where Lyanna is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Lyanna. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Lyanna ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #424 in 2019.
Across the UK
Lyanna in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#650 in 2019
3 years of NRS records, 11 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#424 in 2019
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Lyanna
- Lily 72,956
- Lucy 70,663
- Lauren 50,664
- Leah 33,185
- Lola 24,525
- Layla 24,520
- Laura 23,471
- Lilly 21,714
- Lydia 18,353
- Libby 14,515
- Lara 13,415
- Lacey 13,406
FAQ
Lyanna: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lyanna in the UK right now?
In 2024, Lyanna was ranked #1230 for girls in England and Wales, with 27 births registered.
When was Lyanna most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 27 babies registered as Lyanna in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lyanna?
A feminine name of Italian origin, perhaps derived from the flower lilac.
How many people are called Lyanna in the UK?
A total of 147 babies have been registered as Lyanna across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 11 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Lyanna most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Lyanna ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #424 in 2019. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.