Alannah is a spelling of Alana, which is explained either as the feminine of Alan, whose Celtic meaning is uncertain but usually given as "little rock" or "handsome", or as the Irish endearment a leanbh, "O child". Singer Alannah Myles made this spelling known in 1989 with the hit Black Velvet. Alannah entered the US top 1000 in 2007, peaked at number 763 in 2015 and has fallen since; in 2025 it ranks number 1674 with 123 girls.