Rihana

Rihana is a feminine given name used in several cultures. It is an alternate spelling of Rihanna and is sometimes considered a transliteration variant from languages that do not use the Latin alphabet. The most widely cited etymology for Rihanna, and by extension related spellings such as Rihana, traces to the Arabic word rīḥān (ريحان), meaning basil or a fragrant herb, and by extension a pleasant scent. Because Arabic names are often rendered in multiple ways in English, spellings such as Rihanna, Rihana, Ryhana, and Rihanah appear in multilingual contexts. The form Rihana is particularly common in communities with South Asian or Middle Eastern ties, though usage varies by family and region.

Usage and pronunciation vary by culture and language, but the name is generally given to girls. It does not imply a specific occupation, location, or cultural affiliation. In popular culture, the closely related spelling Rihanna is widely recognized due to the global fame of the Barbadian singer, which can influence perceptions of similarly spelled names and contribute to spelling variations or confusions with Rihana.

Notable people with the exact spelling Rihana are not widely documented in major English-language sources, and the name tends to appear more in regional contexts or within families rather than as a widely publicized given name. See also Rihanna for related information on the more common variant and its cultural associations.