US Popularity Rank: 26927

Origin: Italian

Meaning: Of Carina; Beloved; Sweetheart; Of Kari and Arianna; Most holy, sacred; Pure of heart

While some baby names have effortless meanings, others have an origin story as complex and beautiful as J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle Earth. For thousands of years, variations of the girl's name Karianna have emerged across the globe, most notably in the spellings Carina, Ariana, and Kari. In Latin, Carina derives from the word carus, meaning "beloved," similar to its Italian translation to "sweetheart." This short form for Katarina and Katrina has travelled as far as Portugal, Austria, Russia, and the Netherlands and has become a timeless classic. Karianna may also be a creative combination of Kari and Arianna, meaning "most holy," "pure of heart," and "sacred" in Greek. Complex, yes! But utterly unique and full of heart. Just think of the epic stories they will tell and the exciting adventures they’ll enjoy.