Zana
A feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly Kurdish.
Name Census estimates that about 1,651 living Americans carry the first name Zana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zana today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zana births was 1994 (252 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zana. 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
1.7K
~ 1 in 207,604 Americans
Peak year
1994
252 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,277
Tracked since 1882
Popularity
Zana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zana from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 556 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zana 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 Zana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zanas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. Texas, New York, Georgia recorded the most babies named Zana, while Massachusetts, South Carolina, Maryland recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 19 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zana
The name Zana has its origins in the Slavic languages, particularly in the Serbo-Croatian and Macedonian tongues. It is believed to have originated as a feminine form of the male name Zane, which itself is derived from the Slavic root "zhan", meaning "life" or "to live".
In its earliest recorded instances, the name Zana was found in various Slavic folk tales and legends, often associated with mythical woodland creatures or spirits that were believed to protect the forests and their inhabitants. Some scholars have also drawn connections between Zana and the ancient Slavic goddess Ziva, who was revered as the embodiment of life and fertility.
One of the earliest documented uses of the name Zana can be traced back to the 12th century, when a Bosnian noblewoman named Zana Kulović was mentioned in historical records. She was known for her influential role in the political affairs of the region during that tumultuous period.
In the realm of literature, the name Zana has made several notable appearances. In the epic poem "The Mountain Wreath" by Petar Petrović Njegoš, a pivotal character named Zana plays a significant role in the narrative. Additionally, the 19th-century Serbian writer Jakov Ignjatović featured a character named Zana in his novel "Milan Narandžić".
Throughout history, there have been several prominent individuals who bore the name Zana. One such figure was Zana Masiu (1918-1993), an Albanian writer and journalist who played a crucial role in the development of Albanian literature during the 20th century. Another notable Zana was Zana Briski (born 1966), an American documentary filmmaker who won an Academy Award for her film "Born into Brothels".
In the world of sports, Zana Lukić (born 1988) is a Serbian basketball player who has represented her country in various international competitions. Zana Nanic (born 1989) is a Swedish singer and songwriter of Bosnian descent, known for her unique blend of pop and Balkan folk music.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning Zana Norris (1949-2007), an American writer and editor who was renowned for her contributions to the field of children's literature, particularly her work on the acclaimed "Dear America" series of historical fiction novels.
People
Zana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zana as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,651 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zana 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 207,604 US residents.
Is Zana a common name?
We classify Zana as "Rare". It ranks above 92.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,261 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zana most popular?
The single biggest year for Zana was 1994, when 252 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zana is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zana 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.