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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Alannah Alana or Alanna

63 replies

Sausagedog1 · 03/02/2021 09:43

Just that really... Which spelling is best?
Alannah seems to be more common in Ireland and Alana more common in the UK.
We are living in the UK and have chosen the name for the meaning in Irish (darling child I believe)

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Original poster
Sausagedog1 · 03/02/2021 22:43

Now I'm leaning towards Alana.
Do people like the name? I've looked at so many names I start to lose the ability to decide what I like!

OP posts:
Cocopogo · 03/02/2021 22:46

I don’t like it spelt any which way but it’s not my baby!

littlemisslozza · 03/02/2021 22:46

I like the spelling Alannah the best. Nice name but be prepared - the only one I know is a a teenager and her nickname is Alan!

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 03/02/2021 22:48

Alana (spelt like this) is lovely. I find the other spellings a bit frilly/fussy. I pronounce it as "ah -lah- na" - I think it's a beautiful, underused name.

Original poster
Sausagedog1 · 03/02/2021 22:53

@IamnotwhouthinkIam I think that's why I like it. It's pretty and not too over the top without being too common.
I like that it can be shortened to Ali or Lani or Alan Grin
And it has a nice meaning and a connection to Ireland which we wanted. But it's very new on my list so not 100% sure yet.

OP posts:
ladygindiva · 03/02/2021 22:58

Alanah

partyatthepalace · 03/02/2021 22:58

Alannah is what I’d think of as the most usual and most phonetic spelling and I am in the UK.

I’d expect them all to be pronounced the same - a-LAH-na. Have never heard of alanna pronunciation. So also think this spelling is most intuitive

KirstenBlest · 04/02/2021 11:42

Alannah, pronounced a-LAH-na

Do you say AH-na for Anna?

Pinkywoo · 04/02/2021 12:19

KirstenBlest

" "Alannah, pronounced a-LAH-na"

Do you say AH-na for Anna"

Bloody Frozen, they finally name a Disney Princess after me and then pronounce it wrong!

KirstenBlest · 04/02/2021 12:23

Not seen Frozen, so don't understand. I've heard Let it Go.

MarshaBradyo · 04/02/2021 12:25

I’ve only heard Al Lah na

Pronunciation

Ariela · 04/02/2021 12:31

Neither. Prefer Alida, I think it's Swedish/German, and it's unusual but not unheard of and less ways to spell it IMO.
Meaning : Of noble kin. I know one Alida, a friend of a friend, and she is glamorous, intelligent, great sense of humour, very kind and an all round really nice lady.

Extrapepperoni · 04/02/2021 12:52

Another one here for Alannah

20viona · 04/02/2021 12:54

Alana

Pinkywoo · 04/02/2021 13:00

In Frozen Anna is pronounced Ah-na.

Trisolaris · 04/02/2021 13:03

Alana - the other just look fussy to me!

KirstenBlest · 04/02/2021 13:51

Thanks Pinky.

I would say them :
Alannah Al-ANN-ah
Alana - Al-ah-na or Alan-ah
or Alanna - Al-anna

Alanah - Al-ah-nah

MindyStClaire · 04/02/2021 14:00

I'm Irish and prefer Alannah to rhyme with Hannah.

I would pronounce Alana differently, or at least ask which pronunciation (middle a as per Apple, or closer to the o in on is the best way I can think of describing in my accent).

MindyStClaire · 04/02/2021 14:03

Oh and the darling child Irish meaning comes from the Irish word for child which is leanbh and pronounced with the a sound from Hannah/apple as per my post above.

To me, Alana pronounced with a long aaahhhh sound in the middle wouldn't occur to me as being Irish at all (although still a nice name).

alannabanana81 · 04/02/2021 14:15

I'm an alanna! it rhymes with banana (not hammer or farmer!) and I didn't like my name growing up but now I do. I've never had a nickname apart from at uni when I few friends called me lans or lanny.

Original poster
Sausagedog1 · 04/02/2021 15:07

@alannabanana81 the trouble is in some accents (like mine) banana and farmer rhyme. So Alana rhymes with farmer AND banana.
for my DH (who is Irish) Alana rhymes with banana but definitely not farmer. in his accent it is close to Hannah but a slightly elongated "a"
it is a bit of a confusing one, but I actually like all the pronunciations.
I would be happy with Alanna to rhyme with Hannah or Alana to rhyme with Banana or Farmer.
I feel like it is more natural for me to say it to rhyme with farmer, as that's the only way I have heard it and I think would be more common around here. I wouldn't want to spend my life saying "no not "arna" anna".
I love Lanny or Lani as a nickname.

OP posts:
SionnachRua · 04/02/2021 16:05

Another one saying Alannah rhymes with banana here! I'm currently saying farmer, hammer and Alannah, trying to force them to rhyme...can't get it. Unless I turn it into Alanner? Maybe that's it?

I don't like Alana or Alanna, they're not nearly as pretty.

YoniAndGuy · 04/02/2021 16:10

Could you just call her Banana? It would solve the pronunciation thing.

Firebird83 · 04/02/2021 16:16

The double nn changes the sound. Like Hannah is HAN-a, not HAH-na.

alannabanana81 · 04/02/2021 16:56

I'm Scottish so that's probably why I don't get the farmer thing! some English friends have definitely gone for a dramatic A - LAAAH - NA pronunciation but tbh the way people pronounce it doesn't bother me. even my sweet old landlord who insisted it was alan-a! good luck with your name choice. (I do like the fact it means "darling" in irish)