Iliana is a feminine given name of Greek origin. Its meaning and history are both rooted in ancient Greek mythology.
In Greek mythology, Ilia was the mother of the god Apollo by Zeus, the king of the gods. According to the myth, Zeus fell in love with Ilia while she was a priestess at the temple of Hera, his wife. Although Ilia was originally unwilling to betray her goddess, she eventually gave birth to twins, Apollo and Artemis, after being seduced by Zeus.
The name Iliana is believed to be derived from the name Ilia, which means "the Lord's child" or "child of the lord." This meaning reflects the divine parentage of Apollo in Greek mythology. The name has been used throughout history, with some notable bearers including Saint Iliana, a Bulgarian saint venerated by the Orthodox Church.
Today, Iliana remains a popular given name for girls, particularly in Eastern Europe and other areas with strong Greek influences. Although it may not be as widely known as some other names of Greek origin, such as Athena or Cassandra, it continues to be celebrated as a unique and meaningful name with deep roots in ancient mythology.
Based on the statistics provided, we can see that the number of babies named Iliana born annually in the United States has shown significant fluctuations over the years.
From the late 1950s to the mid-1970s, the annual births ranged from a low of 5 in 1955 to a high of 62 in 1977. During this period, there was an overall trend of increasing popularity for the name Iliana.
Starting from 1980, we see a notable increase in the number of Ilianas born each year, with a peak of 393 births recorded in 2005. This suggests that the name gained considerable traction during this decade, reaching its peak popularity between the late 1990s and early 2000s.
However, since around 2007, there has been a decrease in the number of babies named Iliana born annually. The highest figure in recent years was 346 births in 2013, while the most recent data from 2023 shows 331 births. This indicates that while Iliana is still a popular name, its popularity has somewhat decreased compared to its peak years.
In total, over the period covered by these statistics (1955-2023), there have been 12,629 babies named Iliana born in the United States. These figures demonstrate how the popularity of the name Iliana has ebbed and flowed over time, reflecting changing trends and preferences among parents when choosing names for their children.