Romana

Meaning & origin

Romana is a rare but historically grounded feminine name that directly references the city of Rome. First recorded in the U.S. in 1891, it reached its peak rank of 13,208 in 1928. In the most recent data from 2025, the name appears with a frequency of 1 in 267,878 births, maintaining a stable trajectory over recent decades. While it never broke into widespread popularity in America, Romana has deeper roots in Italian, Spanish, and Slavic cultures as a feminine form of Romanus. Its scarcity today gives it a distinctive, classic feel without being unfamiliar. The name's trajectory has been stable, neither experiencing a sharp decline nor a revival, suggesting a small but consistent base of use, possibly among families with Italian or Eastern European heritage.

Romana is the feminine form of the Latin name Romanus, meaning 'Roman' or 'from Rome'. It has been used across various European cultures, particularly in Italy, Spain, and Slavic countries. The name gained some popularity in English-speaking countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.