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Home › Baby Names Directory › Pollyanna

Pollyanna

♀ Girl

Pronounced pol-ee-AN-ah /ˌpɒl.iˈæn.ɑ/High

Meaning: A compound of Polly (a pet form of Mary, 'beloved; of the sea') and Anna (Hebrew, 'grace; favour'); famous from Eleanor H. Porter's 1913 novel Pollyanna; a literary compound; we note the compoundLow

In 30 seconds: A Polly + Anna compound: Pollyanna. Sweet, classic, and warm. A literary name.
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Origin LowEnglish, Hebrew
MeaningA compound of Polly (a pet form of Mary, 'beloved; of the sea') and Anna (Hebrew, 'grace; favour'); famous from Eleanor H. Porter's 1913 novel Pollyanna; a literary compound; we note the compound
U.S. rank (2024)#8284 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births13 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1964
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,110

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196419142024

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

Pollyanna is a compound of Polly (a pet form of Mary, 'beloved; of the sea') and Anna (Hebrew, 'grace; favour'); famous from Eleanor H. Porter's 1913 novel Pollyanna (a literary compound; we note the compound). A sweet, classic name (said 'pol-ee-AN-ah').

In the U.S. it appears as a literary compound. Rare, grace-and-beloved at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Pollyanna joins Polly ('beloved', from Mary) and Anna ('grace') — famous from Eleanor H. Porter's 1913 novel — a sweet, classic compound (we note it; said 'pol-ee-AN-ah').
Overall data confidence 40%
References — Pollyanna — literary compound

Variations

PolyannaPolly-Anna

Nicknames

Polly

Famous Bearers

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If you like Pollyanna…

Polly— the first element
Anna— the second element
Marianna— a fellow -anna compound
Roseanna— a sound-neighbor -anna compound

Explore names like Pollyanna

By themeenglishhebrewliterarycompound-name
By meaningLoveGraceSea / Water

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Pollyanna mean?

Pollyanna joins Polly ('beloved') and Anna ('grace'); famous from a 1913 novel. We note the compound.

How do you pronounce Pollyanna?

It's said pol-ee-AN-ah /ˌpɒl.iˈæn.ɑ/ — four syllables, stress on the third.

Is Pollyanna a boy or girl name?

Pollyanna is a girl's name.

How popular is Pollyanna?

Pollyanna is a very rare name in the U.S.

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