Alanis means precious or dear child — from the Irish Gaelic a leanbh or connected to Alan. Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill is one of the most important albums in music history — it sold 33 million copies and defined an entire era of female rage-rock. Three syllables of the most important female-rage album, 33 million copies, and maximum Irish-precious heritage.
Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill sold 33 MILLION copies.
It defined an entire era of female rage-rock.
Three syllables with a bright, Irish sound: ah-LAN-iss.
The meaning precious/dear is warmly aspirational.
The most important female album in rock.
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The vibe of Alanis
preciousdear childIrishGaelicMorissetteJagged Little Pill33 millionrage-rockera
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Origin & history of Alanis
Irish Gaelic (precious/dear) or Alan→Alanis
1
Irish Gaelic / Germanic roots
Alanis comes from the Irish meaning precious. Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill (33 million copies) defined an era of female rage-rock.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Irish; Alanis Morissette (born 1974).
3
Today
Alanis remains a beloved choice, ranking #1917 in the US. 3,321 babies have been named Alanis since 1995.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Alanis?
2013peak year
The name Alanis reached its peak in 2013, with 182 registrations (ranked #1289). It had only entered records 18 years earlier, in 1995. Since the peak, the name has eased to well outside the top 1,000 (around #1917) today, averaging about 105 new babies per year. Alanis's usage has held roughly steady recently. Across all years on record, approximately 3,321 American babies have carried this name.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Alanis's Life Path 1 is the leader's number — era-defining leadership. People named Alanis tend to be bright, rage-fuelled, and gifted at selling 33 million copies of anger.
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