Where did the baby name Rannah come from in 1955?

The character Rannah Hayes from the movie "Dawn at Socorro" (1954).
Rannah from “Dawn at Socorro

The name Rannah was a two-hit wonder on the U.S. baby name charts in the mid-1950s:

  • 1957: unlisted
  • 1956: 5 baby girls named Rannah
  • 1955: 16 baby girls named Rannah [debut]
  • 1954: unlisted
  • 1953: unlisted

Where did it come from?

The film Dawn at Socorro (1954), which included a female character named Rannah Hayes, played by Piper Laurie.

New York Times movie reviewer Bosley Crowther wasn’t too impressed with the film — “everything in this picture is plainly and properly contrived to satisfy those Western addicts who like conformance to the traditional grooves” — but expectant parents were clearly impressed by Rannah.

Though it looks a lot like Hannah, “Rannah” was actually pronounced to rhyme with Juana in the film.

Source: Crowther, Bosley. “‘Dawn at Socorro’ Is New Film at Palace.” New York Times 28 Aug. 1954.

Image: Screenshot of Dawn at Socorro

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.