Submitted Name Revision History

Meaning and origin uncertain. It might possibly be an invented name, in which case it might (for example) consist of an Asian name element (such as Japanese chi meaning "wisdom, intellect") and the name ANA. Another possibility is that the name is of Italian origin, in which case it is probably derived from the name of the Chiana Valley in central Italy. The valley is known as Val di Chiana in Italian, which literally means "valley of the Chiana". The valley was named after the river that flows through it, namely the Chiani (sometimes also called Chiana). The river was known as Clanis in ancient Roman times: the name was a latinization of the original Etruscan name, as the river was located in what was once Etruria. It is uncertain what the river's name originally meant in the Etruscan language, although one source claims that the meaning is "standing pool". Also compare CHIARA, but only for the fact that it is an example of how Latin Cl- became Chi- in Italian - which is what happened with the river's name as well, given how Clanis ultimately became Chiani.

In popular culture, Chiana is the name of a female character from the Australian-American science fiction television series "Farscape" (1999-2003).