Ariana

Traditionally interpreted as “most holy”, through Ariadne; the ultimate meaning is uncertain.

Ariana belongs to the family of Ariadne, the Greek name traditionally interpreted as “most holy”. It is a Portuguese form also used as a feminine name in English. The meaning has an element of uncertainty: the familiar Greek explanation may not capture the name’s earliest origin. The connection to Ariadne gives Ariana a story beyond its sound. In Greek myth, Ariadne helps Theseus escape the Labyrinth. Ariana carries that association through its name family, while its vowel-rich shape feels less angular than Ariadne. The repeated a and the flowing r and n can give it an elegant, lyrical quality. Ariana has one n; Arianna, the related Italian form, has two. English speakers use both an AN and an AH sound in the stressed part of Ariana. If choosing the name, deciding which you prefer is more useful than expecting the spelling alone to settle it.

Etymology: A Portuguese form of the Greek name Ariadne, also used in English. The familiar explanation combines ari, an intensifying element, with Cretan adnos, “holy”, but an older, pre-Greek origin has also been proposed.