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