Slangora

alanna

An Irish dialect term of address used to express affection, typically toward a child or young person — roughly equivalent to 'dear,' 'pet,' or 'child.' Used vocatively, almost always as a standalone address rather than a descriptive noun.

/ɑlˈɑnʌ/Documented since 1850sSilenthistoricalCurrent409 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🗺️ Regional & Other
2 definitions
Also a name →
Community
Seen in the wild
5 citations · last seen May 2026

Etymology timeline

Born ~1850 · 1 year of recorded use
1850Born2026: 5 citationsToday, 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

Global
#1·Apr 28, 2026Global

An Irish dialect term of address used to express affection, typically toward a child or young person — roughly equivalent to 'dear,' 'pet,' or 'child.' Used vocatively, almost always as a standalone address rather than a descriptive noun. It carries warmth and tenderness and is strongly associated with Irish English and Hiberno-English dialect. Still occasionally heard in Ireland, particularly from older generations, and appears frequently in Irish literature, folk song, and period drama.

Come here to me, alanna — you look absolutely shattered, sit down and have your tea.
Origin: From Irish 'a leanbh' meaning 'O child,' a vocative phrase. 'A' is the vocative particle; 'leanbh' means child. Anglicised as 'alanna' in Hiberno-English. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
Was this helpful?

Comments

Global
#2·Apr 27, 2026Global

(dialect, Ireland, as a term of address) child.

For parents

Alanna means: child.. It is mainly Irish English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

alanna means: child.. Register: informal, Irish English. Often not understood outside its region; gloss the word on first use when writing for an international audience. Common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; always check the context before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.

Heard in the wild
  • “Kayley Gunner and Alanna Pow - A Scenic Threesome #KayleyGunner #AlannaPow #sex #porn #nude #nsfw #adult bit.ly/Brazzers3v”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “19/19 Survival relies on relentless community effort. As Staines prepares for outreach, she reminds everyone that this fight is a grueling marathon, not a sprint. Source: Alanna Smith, The Globe and Mail www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Alanna Smith on defense "I think, it (her drive defensively) originally comes from me just being disgustingly competitive. I just don't like being scored on & so that kind of motivates me to get stops."”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “BBC Radio 3 Unwind Classical Wind Down: Welcome the evening with a calming classical playlist Now Playing Alanna Crouch Lost in Time”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Paige Bueckers on Alanna Smith I'm really excited to work with Lan (Alanna Smith), we kind of have a organic chemistry already...she makes shots when I pass it to her. So that's exciting."”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
Was this helpful?

Comments

Used in

Global

Have a better definition?

Add your own interpretation of "alanna".

Add definition

🗺️About Regional & Other slang

Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.

Tags

Other words near "alanna" (A)

Browse all slang words starting with A.

Related terms

People also read

Semantically related