Qiana
An English feminine name of unknown origin, potentially relating to chinchilla fur.
Name Census estimates that about 2,446 living Americans carry the first name Qiana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Qiana today is around 42 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Qiana births was 1978 (372 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Qiana. 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.
People living today
2.4K
~ 1 in 140,129 Americans
Peak year
1978
372 babies that year
Average age
42
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,840
Tracked since 1970
Popularity
Qiana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Qiana from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 1,261 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Qiana 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 Qiana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Qianas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 23 states and territories. Illinois, California, New York recorded the most babies named Qiana, while Mississippi, Colorado, Arkansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 67 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Qiana
The name Qiana is a relatively modern invention, first appearing in the late 20th century. It does not have a clear linguistic or cultural origin, but is believed to have been inspired by the synthetic fiber known as qiana, which was developed by DuPont in the 1960s. The name Qiana itself is thought to have been created by combining the letter "Q" with the popular suffix "-iana" or "-ana," which was often used in feminine names.
Despite its recent coinage, the name Qiana quickly gained popularity in the United States and other English-speaking countries. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Qiana was for the American actress and singer Qiana Dion, who was born in 1970. Qiana Dion's birth name was actually Shante, but she later adopted the stage name Qiana as it was considered more distinctive and memorable.
Another notable figure named Qiana was Qiana Morenike Xydis, a South African writer and activist born in 1978. Xydis is known for her work promoting LGBTQ+ rights and advocating for racial equality.
In the world of sports, Qiana Shanté Martin is a former professional basketball player from the United States who was born in 1983. She played in the WNBA for several teams, including the Phoenix Mercury and the Miami Sol.
Qiana Holland is an American entrepreneur and businesswoman born in 1979. She is the founder and CEO of the haircare company Qiana's Essentials, which specializes in products for curly and textured hair.
Finally, Qiana Arielle McGruder is an American actress and model born in 1984. She has appeared in various television shows and films, including roles in the crime drama series "The Wire" and the comedy film "American Pie Presents: The Book of Love."
While the name Qiana is relatively new and lacks a deep historical lineage, it has gained a foothold in modern times and has been adopted by several notable individuals across various fields and backgrounds.
People
Qiana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Qiana as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Q
Other first names starting with Q with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Qiana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Qiana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,446 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Qiana 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 140,129 US residents.
Is Qiana a common name?
We classify Qiana as "Rare". It ranks above 94.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,617 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Qiana most popular?
The single biggest year for Qiana was 1978, when 372 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Qiana is about 42 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Qiana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Qiana 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.
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.