Ilana is a feminine given name with various origins including Celtic, Greek and Hebrew. In the

Celtic Languages The Celtic languages ( ) are a branch of the Indo-European language family, descended from the hypothetical Proto-Celtic language. The term "Celtic" was first used to describe this language group by Edward Lhuyd in 1707, following Paul-Yve ...

, it is a variant of the name Alana, meaning “beautiful” or “child.” It is also considered an anglicized version of the Gaelic name Eileanach, meaning "islander." In the

Greek language Greek (, ; , ) is an Indo-European languages, Indo-European language, constituting an independent Hellenic languages, Hellenic branch within the Indo-European language family. It is native to Greece, Cyprus, Italy (in Calabria and Salento), south ...

, it is a variant of the name Helen, meaning "torch" or "shining.” In

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

, it is the female form of the word ilan (אִילָן), meaning “tree,” or of the masculine name

Ilan Ilan may refer to: Organization *ILAN, Israeli umbrella organization for the treatment of disabled children Given name *Ilan (name), a Hebrew/Israeli name *Ilan Bakhar, a retired Israeli footballer *Ilan Araújo Dall'Igna, a Brazilian footballer ...

. Notable people with the name include: *

Ilana Adir Ilana Adir (-Kamarshik; ; born 28 June 1941) is an Israeli former Olympic sprinter, and former Israeli Women's Champion in the 100 metre sprint. Adir was born in Tel Aviv and is Jewish. Sprinting career Her personal best in the 100 metres was 1 ...

(born 1941), Israeli Olympic sprinter * Ilana Avital (born 1960), Israeli singer * Ilana Krausman Ben-Amos (born 1949), Israeli professor *

Ilana Berger Ilana Berger (; born 1965) is a Mexican-born Israeli former professional tennis player and Olympian. Berger reached her highest individual ranking on the WTA Tour on 10 August 1992, when she became # 149 in the world. On 25 November 1991, she pe ...

(born 1965), Israeli tennis player *

Ilana Casoy Ilana Casoy (born February 16, 1960) is a Brazilian writer. She graduated from Fundação Getúlio Vargas and has dedicated herself to the study of criminal psychology, especially related to serial killers. Ilana Casoy has published several b ...

(born 1960), Brazilian writer * Ilana Cicurel (born 1972), French lawyer and politician *

Ilana Cohen Ilana Cohen (; born 16 November 1943) is an Israeli former politician who served as a member of the Knesset for One Nation and the Labor Party from 2003 until 2006. Biography Born in Iraq, Cohen made aliyah in 1949. She worked as a nurse, and ...

(born 1943), Israeli politician * Ilana Davidson, American operatic soprano *

Ilana Dayan Ilana Dayan-Orbach (; born 8 May 1964) is an Israeli investigative journalist, anchorwoman, and attorney. She is best known as host of the investigative television program '' Uvda'' ("Fact") on the Israeli Channel 12. She is married to Harel Orb ...

(born 1964), Israeli journalist * Ilana Duff, Canadian Paralympic athlete *

Ilana Eliya Ilana Eliya (; born April 24, 1955, in Jerusalem) is an Israeli singer of Kurdish descent. Biography Ilana Eliya's family was originally from Iraqi Kurdistan and immigrated to Jerusalem shortly after the founding of Israel. In her childhood, s ...

(born 1955), Israeli singer *

Ilana Frank Ilana C. Frank is a Canadian film and television producer and founder of ICF Films (formerly Thump Inc.), best known for producing the award-winning series '' The Eleventh Hour'', ''Rookie Blue'', and ''Saving Hope''. ''The Eleventh Hour'', which ...

, Canadian film producer *

Ilana Glazer Ilana Glazer (born April 12, 1987) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, and activist. They have received various accolades including a Daytime Emmy Award and a Tony Award as well as nominations for four Primetime ...

(born 1987), American comedian and actress * Ilana Halperin (born 1973), American artist * Ilana Harris-Babou (born 1991), American sculptor *

Ilana Karaszyk Ilana Karaszyk (also "Karashik"; ; born July 1, 1938) is an Israeli former Olympic runner and long jump The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible f ...

(born 1938), Israeli Olympic runner and long jumper *

Ilana Kloss Ilana Sheryl Kloss (born 22 March 1956) is a South African former professional tennis player, tennis coach, and administrator. She was the World's No. 1 ranked doubles player in 1976, and World No. 19 in singles in 1979. She won the Wimbledon j ...

(born 1956), South African tennis player, World #1 in doubles *

Ilana Kratysh Ilana Kratysh (, ; born 6 July 1990) is an Israeli freestyle wrestler. Kratysh placed third at a 2012 Grand Prix Wrestling tournament in Belarus. Kratysh won the silver medal at the European Wrestling Championships in 2013 at , and that year ...

(born 1990), Israeli freestyle wrestler *

Ilana Kurshan Ilana Kurshan () is an American-Israeli author who lives in Jerusalem. She is best known for her memoir of Talmud study amidst life as a single woman, a married woman, and a mother, ''If All the Seas Were Ink.'' Personal life Kurshan was rais ...

, Israeli author *

Ilana Levine Ilana Levine is an American actress. She made her first on-screen appearance as Andrea Spinelli in the HBO comedy-drama series ''Tanner '88'' (1988), appearing in 11 episodes. Career Raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, Levine attended Teaneck High Sc ...

(born 1963), American actress *

Ilana Löwy Ilana Löwy (née Zelmanowicz) (born 1948 ) is a Polish-born French historian of biomedical sciences and feminist. She works as a research director at an interdisciplinary and cross-institutional research unit CERMES-3 (''Centre de recherche mé ...

(born 1948), Polish-Israeli-French historian *

Ilana Mushin Ilana Mushin is an Australian linguist. Mushin's research interests include the Garrawa language, discourse and stance. Mushin is currently an associate professor at The University of Queensland in the School of Languages and Cultures. She is ...

, Australian linguist *

Ilana Neumann Ilana Neumann, in full Ilana Neumann de Azar (b. 1968 or 1969), is a Dominican politician and lawyer. Neumann was born in Sosúa to Avi Neumann (the son of Jewish refugees of World War II, who immigrated to the Dominican Republic; also an ...

, Dominican Republic politician *

Ilana Panich-Linsman Ilana Panich-Linsman (born 1984) is a visual journalist based in Austin, Texas. Early life and education Panich-Linsman was born in Arizona and grew up in western Massachusetts. She received a B.A. from Scripps College. She completed the Eddie Ada ...

(born 1984), American journalist *

Ilana Paul-Binyamin Dr. Ilana Paul-Binyamin (Hebrew: ד"ר אילנה פאול-בנימין) is an Israeli academic and current Dean of the Faculty of Education at Beit Berl College in Israel. Paul-Binyamin is an expert on Multiculturalism in education. Education ...

, Israeli academic * Ilana Salama Ortar (born 1949), Israeli visual artist * Ilana Raviv (born 1945), Israeli artist * Ilana Rooderkerk (born 1987), Dutch actor and politician * Ilana Rovina (1934-2020), Israeli singer * Ilana Rovner (born 1938), American judge * Ilana Rubel (born 1972), American politician *

Ilana Sod Ilana Sod (born February 3, 1973) is a Mexican television and radio journalist, presenter, and producer. She has worked for a variety of media outlets and collaborated on initiatives relating to social issues and youth-oriented programming. Ca ...

(born 1973), Mexican television presenter *

Ilana Verdansky Ilana Verdansky is a fictional character on the ABC television series '' Lost'' played by Zuleikha Robinson. Ilana is introduced in the sixth episode of the fifth season of ''Lost'' as an officer boarding Ajira Airways Flight 316, with Sayid ...

, fictional character on the ABC television show ''Lost''. *

Ilana Vered Ilana Vered (; born December 6, 1943, in Tel Aviv, Israel) is a concert pianist and professor of piano. Biography From age 13 to 15 Vered attended the Paris Conservatoire, which awarded her first prize in piano upon her graduation; among her teac ...

(born 1943), Israeli pianist * Ilana B. Witten, American neuroscientist *

Ilana Yahav Ilana Yahav () is a sand animation performance artist and puppeteer from Israel. She has performed in front of live audiences, in video clips and in advertisements. Career Yahav studied sand art in Hollywood, New York and London. She later ran ...

, Israeli artist

References

{{Reflist Hebrew feminine given names Feminine given names Given names derived from plants or flowers