Anise

♀ Girl

Pronounced uh-NEESS /əˈniːs/Medium

Meaning: The English name of the spice, whose seeds carry a warm licorice scent. The word traces back through Latin anisum to Greek anison. Used as a given name, it is a plain and pleasant word name — that is its whole story.Medium

In 30 seconds: A spice on the shelf and a name on the page: Anise is the licorice-scented herb (said 'uh-NEESS').

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Origin MediumEnglish, Greek

MeaningThe English name of the spice, whose seeds carry a warm licorice scent. The word traces back through Latin anisum to Greek anison. Used as a given name, it is a plain and pleasant word name — that is its whole story.

U.S. rank (2024)#15431 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1992

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,233

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Anise comes to English from Greek anison by way of Latin, naming the plant whose seeds taste of licorice. It joins Sage, Clover and Saffron in the small, fragrant family of herb-and-spice names. No hidden meaning, just the plant (said 'uh-NEESS').

It is rare for girls in the U.S. Rare, aromatic, and simple.

Did you know? Anise gets its name from Greek anison, and its seeds have flavored breads and sweets for thousands of years. As a given name it is exactly the word — warm, aromatic, and plain-spoken, which we note (said 'uh-NEESS').

Overall data confidence 65%

References — Anise — English spice name, via Latin anisum from Greek anison

Variations

AnniseAnisse

Nicknames

AniNisi

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Anise…

Sage— another herb word-name

Clover— a like plant name for girls

Saffron— a similar spice name

Juniper— another aromatic botanical pick

Explore names like Anise

By themeword-name botanical spice

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Anise mean?

Anise is the English name of the licorice-scented spice, from Greek anison.

How do you pronounce Anise?

It's said uh-NEESS /əˈniːs/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Anise a boy or girl name?

Anise is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Anise?

Anise is a rare name for girls in the U.S.