Anna Name Meaning: Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

What Does Anna Mean?

Anna is a name coming from the Hebrew word Chanah or Ḥannāh, which means grace or favor. Another meaning of the name Anna comes from the Romans. During the Ancient Roman period, the name Anna meant “the year’s cycle.”

What is the Origin of the Name Anna?

The origin of the name Anna comes from Hebrew. Ancient people translated the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek. The name Hannah then changed to Hanna, and then the Latin translation became Anna.

The name then moved into other countries and became part of English-speaking languages and French variants ⁽¹⁾.

How Popular Is the Name Anna?

Anna is a very popular name. At present, Anna is the 68th most popular girl’s name in the United States. Since 1972, the name Anna ranked as part of the top 100 baby names for females in the United States of America.

In 2001, the name Anna ranked at its highest level as the 19th most popular baby name for girls.

How Do I Pronounce Anna?

You can pronounce the name Anna as “Aa-n-ah.” This is a relatively easy name to pronounce, but it can have a couple of different pronunciations. You can also pronounce this name as “Ah-n-ah.” Compared to longer and more complex names, you should have no trouble saying this name out loud.

Is Anna a Boy or Girl Name?

Traditionally, Anna is a girl’s name. If you are having a female baby, then the name Anna will work for you. Even though the name Anna is feminine, some boys do have the name. Nonetheless, it is rare for someone to name their boy child Anna. Mostly, girls have the name.

Variations of Anna

There are numerous variations of the name Anna. For instance, the French variation is Anne, while Ann is the English version of the name.

If you live in Spain or Portugal, you are more likely to see the name spelled “Ana.” Some other common variations of the name Anna include:

• Ane (Denmark)
• Anni (Sweden)
• Hanna (Germany)

Nicknames for Anna

Common nicknames for the name Anna include:

• Ana Maria
• Anette
• Anja
• Anka
• Anona
• Annabel
• Annushka
• Anyuta
• Hannah
• Princess Ann

Some other typical nicknames you can use are Anyura, Lana, Aine, and Angelina. There are tons of cute nicknames you can pick from if you want to liven up your baby girl’s name.

Similar Names to Anna

Many names are similar to Anna. Some of these names are:

• Abigail
• Alexandra
• Alice
• Amelia
• Anne
• Annie
• Caroline
• Catherine
• Charlotte
• Claire
• Clara
• Ella
• Emily
• Emma
• Grace
• Hannah
• Julia
• Kate
• Katherine

There are many similar names to Anna, with similar meanings and sounds.

Middle Names for Anna

You’ll see that there are many different middle names you can choose for the name Anna. Some possible middle names are:

• Anna Celeste
• Anna Christine
• Anna Elizabeth
• Anna Genevieve
• Anna Grace
• Anna Gwendolyn
• Anna Jacqueline
• Anna Louise
• Anna Madeline
• Anna Marie
• Anna Noelle
• Anna Patricia
• Anna Rose
• Anna Sophia

Sibling Names for Anna

Some possible choices for girl sibling names are:

• Beatrice
• Eleanor
• Elizabeth
• Lucy
• Katherine
• Sarah

Some choices for boy sibling names are:

• Benjamin
• Edward
• Henry
• James
• Lucas
• Thomas

Famous People Named Anna

Some impressive famous people named Anna include:

• Anna, Empress of Russia: Held reign from 1730 to 1740.
• Anna Harrison: American first lady.
• Anna Freud: Austrian-British psychoanalyst.
• Anna Claypoole Peale: American painter.
• Anna Kavan: British author.

Anna in Popular Culture

Anna is also a common name found in popular culture. For example, some characters in popular culture with the name Anna are:

• Anna Karenina: Character from a popular novel and film.
• Anna Christie: Four-act play by Eugene O’Neill.
• Anne of Green Gables: Popular children’s book and television series.
• Anna Coleman: Character in the film, “Freaky Friday.”
• Anna Fitzgerald: Fictional character from the novel, “My Sister’s Keeper.”

Anna FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about the name Anna.