Orana as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Orana

What is the meaning of the name Orana ?

The baby name Orana is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced oh-RAH-nah (stress on the second syllable).

Orana is Polynesian in Origin.

Orana is most widely explained as an Australian Aboriginal name from Wiradjuri, meaning “welcome” or “come in,” familiar from place names and the refrain of Australian carols. The word also resonates across Polynesia: in Cook Islands Māori, the greeting kia orana means “may you live long,” reinforcing associations of life, health, and warm hospitality. As a given name, Orana therefore carries a sense of openness and blessing.

It entered modern use in Australia and New Zealand in the mid-to-late 20th century and remains uncommon, used for girls and occasionally boys. Variants and related forms include Oranna (a distinct European saint’s name sometimes conflated), the shortened Ora, and Ana as a nickname. Orana appears in regional names such as the Orana region of New South Wales, which has helped familiarise the term without making it widespread as a personal name.