Long before it was a blockchain, Solana was a word for sunshine. Now, it’s shining as one of America’s fastest-growing and trending baby names.
The name, derived from Spanish and Latin roots meaning the “sunshine” or “sunny place,” has surged in popularity, according to new data from the Social Security Administration.
As a baby name, Solana has risen to the 242nd spot this year, up from 691st last year and 933rd in 2023, when it first joined the list of top 1,000 names.
Naming experts note that Solana, as a name, offers parents an appealing combination of melodic sound, evoking warmth and joy. Some also note that the name gained more popularity through Grammy-winning R&B artist SZA, whose full name is Solána Imani Rowe.
The name’s linguistic origins trace back centuries in Spanish-speaking regions, where “solana” traditionally referred to sun-exposed places in Mediterranean landscapes, particularly the sunny side of mountains or valleys.
Meanwhile, the Dictionary of the Spanish Language defines “solana” as a place, room, or land oriented toward the sun. The word “sol” means “sun” in Latin.
But for the Solana blockchain, the name has simpler roots. It refers to Solana Beach in California, where Solana co-founders Raj Gokal and Anatoly Yakovenko first met.
“Solana comes from Solana Beach. Me and my co-founders lived there, we’d wake up, we’d surf, bike to work, go back home, and surf again,” Yakovenko said in a 2023 interview.
The project has since grown into one of the most prominent Layer 1 blockchains, currently processing 4,388 transactions per second with 86.5% in circulating supply, according to live data from Solana Explorer.
Institutional plays for Solana have also begun, with corporations stocking up for their treasuries and some offering convertible notes to do so. In March, a Florida-based issuer launched a Solana futures ETF, with more on the way.
At the time of writing, Solana maintains its 6th spot in the top ten cryptos by market cap, trading at $184, rising 40% over the past month and up 25% in the past year, data from CoinGecko shows.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
