Olanna
A feminine Nigerian name meaning "God's wealth".
Name Census estimates that about 149 living Americans carry the first name Olanna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Olanna today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Olanna births was 2018 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Olanna. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Olanna with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
149
~ 1 in 2,300,365 Americans
Peak year
2018
16 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,793
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Olanna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Olanna from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 83 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Olanna by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Olanna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Olannas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Olanna
The name Olanna has its roots in the Igbo language, which is spoken primarily in southeastern Nigeria. The name is believed to have originated during the era of the Nri Kingdom, one of the oldest kingdoms in present-day Nigeria, which existed between the 9th and 18th centuries.
Olanna is derived from the Igbo words "Olu" and "Anna," with "Olu" meaning "child" and "Anna" meaning "mercy" or "grace." Together, the name can be interpreted as "a child of mercy" or "a child of grace." This naming tradition reflects the cultural values and beliefs of the Igbo people, who place great importance on children and the concept of divine blessings.
While there are no known historical references to the name Olanna in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been documented in various historical records and literary works from the Igbo region. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the writings of the renowned Igbo author, Chinua Achebe, who featured a character named Olanna in his critically acclaimed novel, "Half of a Yellow Sun," published in 2006.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Olanna. One of the most prominent is Olanna Okikiolakan (1928-2015), a Nigerian artist and sculptor who gained international recognition for her intricate wood carvings and sculptures depicting traditional Igbo culture and folklore.
Another notable Olanna is Olanna Philogene (born 1985), a Haitian-American model, and fashion designer who has graced the covers of various fashion magazines and has been a runway model for several high-profile fashion brands.
In the field of academia, Olanna Akpa (born 1972) is a distinguished Nigerian professor of linguistics and African studies at the University of Ibadan, known for her research on Igbo language and culture.
Olanna Ugoala (1940-2018) was a Nigerian entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Olanna Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering women and children in rural communities through education and economic opportunities.
Lastly, Olanna Nwajah (born 1974) is a Nigerian actress and filmmaker who has starred in numerous Nollywood productions and has received critical acclaim for her portrayal of strong, independent women characters.
While these are just a few examples, the name Olanna continues to be widely used within the Igbo community and has gained recognition beyond its cultural boundaries, reflecting the rich heritage and diverse narratives of the Igbo people.
People
Olanna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Olanna as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Olanna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Olanna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 149 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Olanna going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,300,365 US residents.
Is Olanna a common name?
We classify Olanna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 150 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Olanna most popular?
The single biggest year for Olanna was 2018, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Olanna is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Olanna in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Olanna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Olanna in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Olanna still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Olanna in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Olanna can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Olanna?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Olanna on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.