She shimmers with all the Hollywood glamour of Ava, but the small screen is propelling her to new heights.
Thanks to Photoquilty for suggesting Lana as Name of the Day.
It is difficult to pin down the origins of Lana. You’ll find her on the map in Italy, Spain and Albania. She’s a short form of Alana, Milana, Ruslana and Svetlana. But like Nora, Nina and some other diminutives, she also stands alone.
With Ava, Audrey and Natalie all near the top of the US charts, little wonder some parents have discovered Lana.
The glamorous, Oscar-nominated Lana Turner was discovered at the tender age of sixteen. The story of her discovery at Schwab’s Drug Store is the stuff of Hollywood legend. (And, like all good stories, it is probably only partially true.) She made her first movie in 1937, and rocketed to fame. Scandal and drama followed. But even if her some of her exploits make Paris Hilton look like a Girl Scout, Lana’s talent won out. She graduated from pin-up to serious actress with roles in The Postman Always Rings Twice, Peyton Place and Imitation of Life.
Lana had flirted with the Top 1000 in the US before, appearing a few times in the nineteenth century. The actress was born Julia Jean, and went by the nickname Judy until her film debut. When the director of her first film suggested she chose something glamorous, Judy became Lana. It isn’t clear what inspired her choice.
But she inspired parents aplenty. In 1939, Lana re-entered the charts at #732. A year later, she’d leapt to #306 and peaked at #188 in 1948.
As Turner’s star fell, her first name declined in popularity, too. By 1996, she was gone from the charts.
But in 2001, she suddenly she re-appeared at #943 and rose steadily to #402 in 2007.
Was it part of the Hollywood revival? Because she rhymes with chart-topper Hannah?
Probably not. Instead, Lana is a character on Smallville, the WB/CW’s hit about the earliest days of Clark Kent.
Lana Lang debuted in the Superman comics back in 1950, both as his hometown sweetheart and a current flame. (And, of course, rival to Lois Lane.) The character was part of the Smallville television series from the beginning, but departed in the eighth season. (The show has recently been renewed for a ninth.)
There are a handful of other notable Lanas, including:
- Lana Wood, baby sister to Natalie, best known as Bond girl Plenty O’Toole in 1971′s Diamonds Are Forever. Lana was born Svetlana;
- Eurovision Song Contest 2004 winner Ruslana, also known as Lana, is a Ukrainian pop star;
- Lana Crawford was the Australian soap Neighbors’ first openly lesbian character;
- From 1959 to 1961, pop trio the Lana Sisters toured the UK. While their success was limited, one of the three was future chart-topper Dusty Springfield;
- Lana Trotovosek is a violinist from Slovenia, and part of the acclaimed Greenwich Trio.
The Hollywood bombshell and Superman’s sweetheart are still the first two Lanas to come to mind. The name has a vaguely Slavic tint – in fact, in 2007 she was the most popular girls’ name in Slovenia. But overall, she’s simple, pretty and uncommon.
I love Lana, both as a nickname for Svetlana and Alana and as its own name. It’s pretty, and Eric and I both like the Russian feel to it. I loved Lana’s character in Strong Medicine too.
How about Kazu/Kazuma, Akira, Miyoko (my little cousin’s name), Hana, Matteo, and Seren/Serena as NOTD’s? Those are some of my favorite names.
Lana is pretty, but I think it does feel a little too Eastern European for me to want to use personally. I tend to go for those thoroughly British names.
I agree that it has an exotic, glamorous vibe — but at the same time, it feels a bit bland, maybe because it sounds similar to so many other names (like Lena, Lina, Lara, Elena, Alana, etc.). Perhaps that’s part of its appeal, though — it seems simple, adaptable, and sure to fit in anywhere.
I want to like Lana, really I do. Lana packs a serious punch in four little letters. Thanks to Superman’s first love & Turner, it’s got quite a bit of Va-va-voom too. But Lana, sadly is one I always see funny. I end up turning Lana around when I first see her and that’s not cool. So Lana’s not for me but of Superman’s assorted loves, Lyla (Lila) & Larissa both intrigue me. (What IS it with Superman and all those L’s?) Here’s the 15 most Superman freaks know about: http://comiccoverage.typepad.com/comic_coverage/2008/02/to-all-the-girl.html
Illena was evil but it’s got a pretty sound. And did anyone else know Lana Lang was a redhead originally? I was surprised but Ken said “Yeah, she was”. Weird. Learn something new everyday, hmm?
So Lana’s pretty but so very not for me!
I like Lana. I’m surprised it left the charts at all – but also surprised that it’s been rising. I thought it was entirely off the radar. I’m in search of the perfect name – one that’s pretty, that’s familiar, yet not heard every day – and I think this one, like Nora (and Ava and Emma 10 years ago) fits for me.
Would you add these names to your NotD list if you haven’t already gone over them, please? Louisa, Luke, and Dominic -Thanks!
If our Australian Top 100 lists expanded to Top 1000 names each year, I have no doubt that Lana would be up there – probably around the 300ish mark, I’d guess. She’s a fairly common fixture here, and she’s become rather bland to me. She feels the same as Mia or Eliza – both of which I don’t like, but can’t find an actual reason for!
The Top 100 for my state does feature Hannah (#16), Alannah (#79) & Milla (#80- close enough to Milana), as well as Ava (#6), Natalie (#60), & Audrey (#82), so maybe she’ll make her mark soon! I can’t look up her popularity, because the site’s ‘undergoing maintenance’ pfft
I really like Lana a lot. It’s a lovely name; I like it’s slightly slavic feel. It’s simple, pretty; it’s a nice name. I had never ever turned it around, as Lola mentions…. and that is kind of tragic. But hopefully that would be beyond the cruel creativity of school children. I’d still “risk” it with Lana… but then, I kind of like the longer names for which Lana would be a fantastic nickname… and you get away from any of the aforementioned unpleasantries with that.
The trend of reversing names for meaning (e.g. Nevaeh) rules Lana out for me. Just spell it backwards. Lana sounds pretty, but is something I would only use as a nickname.
Love love love this name. It doesn’t hurt that it’s short and simple (my favorite type of name) and that I knew a Lana growing up who was (and is) one of the most intelligent, gifted, and beautiful young ladies I have ever known.
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