Roxana Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Roxana – Meaning: bright, radiant – Origin: Persian (Old Persian, via Greek Rhōxanē) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: rahk-SAN-ah

---

Roxana is a Persian name, from the Old Persian root Raṳkšnā-, that reached English by way of Greek as Rhōxanē. It's pronounced rahk-SAN-ah, and while it's often described as meaning 'little star' or 'dawn,' the root itself actually means 'bright' or 'radiant.'

Meaning & Origin of Roxana

Meaning: Bright, radiant.

Origin: Persian (Old Persian, via Greek Rhōxanē).

A common claim: Roxana means 'little star' or 'dawn' Actually: Roxana is popularly glossed as 'little star' or 'dawn,' but the Old Persian root Raṷxšnā- actually means 'bright' or 'radiant.'

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Roxana

Phonetic: rahk-SAN-ah   IPA: /rɑːkˈsænə/

Popularity of Roxana

Roxana peaked in 1987, when 313 baby girls were given the name, placing it at #619 nationally. By 2024 it had fallen to #2091, with just 92 babies named Roxana that year, in Social Security data spanning 1882 to 2024.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1882–2024.

Make Roxana Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Roxana, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Mahsa
• Anahi
• Anahita
• Farhad
• Homa
• Jessamine

FAQ

What does the name Roxana mean?

Bright, radiant. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Roxana)

How do you pronounce Roxana?

Roxana is pronounced rahk-SAN-ah (IPA: /rɑːkˈsænə/).

Is Roxana a popular name right now?

Roxana peaked at #619 in 1987 and is ranked #2091 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1882–2024.)

More Baby Name Inspiration

• Check any name’s popularity history
• Take the naming-style quiz
• Make art for a different name