Anna

♀ Girl

Pronounced AN-uh /ˈæn.ə/High

Meaning: Grace; favor — Latin form of the Hebrew name Hannah (Channah)High

In 30 seconds: A timeless Latin form of Hannah meaning 'grace,' Anna has been one of the most widely used names in the Christian world for over a millennium, from queens to Tolstoy heroines.

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Origin HighHebrew, Latin

MeaningGrace; favor — Latin form of the Hebrew name Hannah (Channah)

Peak year1918

Total births (all-time)≈ 888,505

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Anna is the Latin and Greek form of the Hebrew Channah (Hannah), meaning 'grace' or 'favor.' Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary, popularized the name throughout medieval Europe.

Anna has been in continuous use across Europe for over a thousand years, borne by queens, saints, and literary heroines including Anna Karenina in Tolstoy's novel. It remains a perennial top-100 U.S. girls' name.

Did you know? Saint Anne is traditionally the name given to the mother of the Virgin Mary in Christian tradition — not mentioned by name in the Bible, but in the 2nd-century Gospel of James.

Variations

AnneHannahAnnAnnekeAnya

Nicknames

AnnieNan

Famous Bearers

★Anna Karenina (fictional, 1877)
Protagonist of Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina, one of literature's most famous heroines.
★Anna Wintour (1949–)
British-American editor-in-chief of American Vogue.

If you like Anna…

Grace— another short, purely elegant virtue or biblical concept name

Clara— crisp two-syllable classic with the same timeless European heritage

Eleanor— vintage classic with the same gentle cross-cultural staying power

Frequently Asked

What does the name Anna mean?

Anna is the Latin and Greek form of the Hebrew Hannah, meaning 'grace' or 'favor.'

How do you pronounce Anna?

It is said AN-uh /ˈæn.ə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Anna a boy or girl name?

Anna is almost exclusively a girl's name.

How popular is Anna?

Anna has been among the top 100 U.S. girls' names for well over a century.