Likely a feminine elaboration of Mira or Miriam-related forms, often associated with meanings like 'wonderful' or 'admired.'
Miriana is a Romance-language variant of the ancient name Miriam, one of the oldest feminine names still in common use. Miriam appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of the prophetess and elder sister of Moses and Aaron, who led the Israelites in song after the crossing of the Red Sea — making her one of the earliest named female religious leaders in recorded scripture. The etymology of Miriam is debated among scholars: proposed roots include the Egyptian Mry (beloved), the Hebrew mar (bitter or strong), and a compound meaning 'wished-for child' or 'sea of sorrow.'
From Miriam descended an extraordinary family of names that reshaped Western naming culture: the Greek and Latin Maria, the English Mary, the French Marie, the Spanish María, the Italian Maria, and countless elaborations like Mariana, Marianna, and Miriana. Each carried the name through different civilizations and centuries, accruing new associations — from the Virgin Mary of Christian devotion to the Mariannes of French revolutionary iconography to the literary Marians of Victorian novels. Miriana specifically has the feel of an Italian, Croatian, or Slavic variant, common in the Adriatic region where East and West meet.
Today Miriana is rare enough to feel distinctive while carrying the quiet authority of its ancient lineage. In Croatia and Slovenia it appears with some regularity; in English-speaking countries it reads as an elegant, slightly exotic variant of the familiar Mariana or Miriam. The name rewards those who look into it with a depth of history that few modern names can match — connecting a twenty-first-century child to one of antiquity's most celebrated women.