Spelling comparison
Alana vs Alaina
In 2025, 2,085 female records (rank #140) and 1,366 female records (rank #224). Alana accounted for 60.4% of the two spellings’ combined published records, about 1.5 times the published count of Alaina.
US national data through 2025 · Source retrieved
Data updated
The two spellings share a Little Names spelling key. Alana profile · Alaina profile
These are two spellings of one name. SSA keeps Alana and Alaina as separate observations, and this page does not add them into one rank. Alaina is the longer of the two spellings, and Alana is the shorter. Alaina writes “i” between “Ala” and “na”, and Alana leaves that spot out.
In years when both spellings were published, the lead changed 6 times. The latest crossover is 2023, when Alana moved ahead of Alaina on the combined published count (1,618 to 1,364).
Alana is first published in these national files in 1930, and Alaina in 1946. Alana’s larger 2025 category is female. Alaina’s larger 2025 category is female. Alana led 8 decades and Alaina led 1 decade among decades in which both spellings have a published total.
Inside 2016–2025, the widest combined gap was 719 records in 2025, and the closest year was 2022 (a gap of 10). Of the combined 2025 records for this pair (3,451), Alana is 60.4% and Alaina is 39.6%.
2016–2025, count and rank
For 2016, compare the categories separately: Alana had 1,576 female records (rank #207); Alaina had 1,770 female records (rank #184). Alaina led 2016 by 194 published records (1,770 to 1,576), and the smaller spelling is Alana. Alaina was the higher published spelling in 2017, with 1,669 female records (rank #182) against 1,449 female records (rank #212) for Alana. The 2018 national file shows Alana led 2018 by 11 published records (1,533 to 1,522). Read as exact spellings: Alana had 1,533 female records (rank #200); Alaina had 1,522 female records (rank #202). 2019: Alaina led 2019 by 237 published records (1,578 to 1,341). Alana and Alaina stay separate rows; 1,341 and 1,578 are not a combined baby-name total. In 2020, Alana had 1,403 female records (rank #206); Alaina had 1,488 female records (rank #197). Alaina led 2020 by 85 published records (1,488 to 1,403). 2021 belongs to Alaina. Alana had 1,334 female records (rank #224); Alaina had 1,500 female records (rank #201). The gap that year was 166 records. For 2022, compare the categories separately: Alana had 1,422 female records (rank #204); Alaina had 1,432 female records (rank #202). Alaina led 2022 by 10 published records (1,432 to 1,422), and the smaller spelling is Alana. Alana was the higher published spelling in 2023, with 1,618 female records (rank #185) against 1,364 female records (rank #219) for Alaina. The 2024 national file shows Alana led 2024 by 612 published records (2,060 to 1,448). Read as exact spellings: Alana had 2,060 female records (rank #143); Alaina had 1,448 female records (rank #212). 2025: Alana led 2025 by 719 published records (2,085 to 1,366). Alana and Alaina stay separate rows; 2,085 and 1,366 are not a combined baby-name total.
| Year | Alana female count | Alana female rank | Alana male count | Alana male rank | Alaina female count | Alaina female rank | Alaina male count | Alaina male rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,576 | 207 | — | — | 1,770 | 184 | — | — |
| 2017 | 1,449 | 212 | — | — | 1,669 | 182 | — | — |
| 2018 | 1,533 | 200 | — | — | 1,522 | 202 | — | — |
| 2019 | 1,341 | 232 | — | — | 1,578 | 186 | — | — |
| 2020 | 1,403 | 206 | — | — | 1,488 | 197 | — | — |
| 2021 | 1,334 | 224 | — | — | 1,500 | 201 | — | — |
| 2022 | 1,422 | 204 | — | — | 1,432 | 202 | — | — |
| 2023 | 1,618 | 185 | — | — | 1,364 | 219 | — | — |
| 2024 | 2,060 | 143 | — | — | 1,448 | 212 | — | — |
| 2025 | 2,085 | 140 | — | — | 1,366 | 224 | — | — |
Combined counts, 1880–2025
Each line adds the published female and male counts for that spelling. A gap is a year with no published observation, not a zero. Alana is the warm line and Alaina is the cool line.
Which spelling led each decade
In the 1930s (1930–1939), Alana has 44 published records and Alaina has none in these files. During the 1940s (1940–1949), Alana led with 1,143 published records to 24 for Alaina. Add the published 1950s years and Alana comes out ahead, 1,413 to Alaina’s 92. During the 1960s (1960–1969), Alana led with 1,889 published records to 415 for Alaina. Add the published 1970s years and Alana comes out ahead, 3,519 to Alaina’s 901. During the 1980s (1980–1989), Alana led with 6,935 published records to 4,410 for Alaina. Add the published 1990s years and Alana comes out ahead, 9,220 to Alaina’s 6,497. During the 2000s (2000–2009), Alana led with 17,947 published records to 12,350 for Alaina. Add the published 2010s years and Alaina comes out ahead, 17,297 to Alana’s 16,263. During the 2020s (2020–2025), Alana led with 9,922 published records to 8,598 for Alaina.
Top states in 2025
Alana’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are Texas (311), Florida (299), California (294), New York (125), Illinois (85). Alaina’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are Texas (156), California (101), Florida (77), Pennsylvania (77), Ohio (73). Texas, Florida, California are in the top states for both spellings. A state can rank differently for each spelling because the counts are not merged.