Bana
A girl's name with 199 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Those of the Fali people who inhabit Nigeria.
Bana is a girl's baby name of Arabic origin, from the Arabic bānah — the Arabic name for the Moringa peregrina or related species, a tree with fragrant flowers used in perfume-making in the Arabian tradition. The bana tree's flowers produce a precious oil used in ancient Egyptian and Arabian cosmetics, giving the name the aspiration of natural fragrance and beauty.
Bana carries the Arabic aromatic tree's beauty — the bana whose fragrant flowers were pressed into the ancient perfume oils of the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt, whose scent has been associated with beauty and luxury since antiquity. A name of natural, fragrant elegance from the Arabian naming tradition.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Bana's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Bana follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Bana's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Bana climbed 627 spots in the last 20 years — from #12949 to #12322.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 43 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 104 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 34 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 18 | — |
The Story of Bana
A Gen Alpha name
Peaking in 2013, Bana is a fresh, modern favorite. Girls named Bana are most likely born between 2003 and 2023.
How rare is Bana?
Only about 1 in every 514,286 babies born in 2024 was named Bana — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1990, peaked in the 2010s with 104 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Bana by the numbers
- Would fill 4 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(22 years, 1990–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | #12322 |
| 2023 | 7 | #12345 |
| 2022 | 9 | #10512 |
| 2021 | 14 | #7686 |
| 2020 | 6 | #13711 |
| 2019 | 9 | #10603 |
| 2018 | 10 | #9927 |
| 2017 | 10 | #10071 |
| 2016 | 14 | #8056 |
| 2015 | 12 | #9031 |
| 2014 | 17 | #7034 |
| 2013 | 17 | #7099 |
| 2012 | 8 | #12388 |
| 2011 | 7 | #13579 |
| 2009 | 10 | #10804 |
| 2004 | 7 | #12949 |
| 2003 | 5 | #16118 |
| 2002 | 5 | #15769 |
| 2001 | 7 | #12249 |
| 1998 | 5 | #14421 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bana a boy's or girl's name?
When was Bana most popular?
How popular is the name Bana?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1990–2024