Anna Name Meaning

A classic choice with timeless appeal, Anna has been the name of queens, empresses, actresses, and more over the centuries. Derived from the Hebrew Channah, Anna means “gracious one.”

She’s spent years perched towards the top of the U.S. Top 100 girls’ names though she doesn’t feel dated or overused like other names. She’s maintained her antique charm, winning new fans generation after generation.

Like her sister Hannah, Anna is a simple beauty that shines on her own. She may not be bursting at the seams with cutesy syllables, but she’s effortlessly chic and undeniably feminine. In addition, she has worldwide appeal, appearing in many cultures without issue.

In a world dominated with creative spellings and modern monikers, short and sweet Anna is a standout choice. She’s easy to say and spell, earning praise from parents looking for a no-fuss name. She’s also a super cool palindrome name, appearing the same whether spelled forward or backwards like Hannah, Ava, and Elle.

She’s relatively nickname free with Annie and Ann the only real contenders. She does have an alternative spelling in Ana though it’s not nearly as common. Longer variants of the name include Annabelle, Anneliese, and Annika. Names with a similar vibe are Kate, Emma, and Ella.

Infographic of Anna name meaning, which is From the Hebrew Channah, Anna means gracious.
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Anna Name Popularity

How popular is the name Anna? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 6 6,433 1.8271%
1911 6 6,745 1.8113%
1912 7 8,584 1.7022%
1913 7 9,681 1.7075%
1914 6 11,859 1.7017%
1915 7 15,117 1.6639%
1916 7 15,224 1.576%
1917 7 15,160 1.5153%
1918 10 15,662 1.4593%
1919 10 14,496 1.3844%
1920 10 14,578 1.3111%
1921 11 14,477 1.2643%
1922 12 13,403 1.2031%
1923 13 12,864 1.1485%
1924 13 13,078 1.1262%
1925 13 12,246 1.0834%
1926 15 11,696 1.0634%
1927 16 11,212 1.0129%
1928 16 10,571 0.988%
1929 20 9,748 0.9411%
1930 23 9,075 0.8688%
1931 25 8,427 0.8538%
1932 24 7,919 0.8015%
1933 29 7,072 0.7591%
1934 31 6,669 0.6899%
1935 34 6,160 0.6339%
1936 36 5,722 0.594%
1937 39 5,442 0.5523%
1938 40 5,128 0.5009%
1939 43 4,928 0.4845%
1940 51 4,705 0.4427%
1941 56 4,422 0.3929%
1942 59 4,480 0.3548%
1943 64 4,228 0.3239%
1944 74 3,631 0.293%
1945 73 3,605 0.2956%
1946 87 3,986 0.2701%
1947 92 4,236 0.2538%
1948 89 4,029 0.2524%
1949 91 3,897 0.2423%
1950 93 3,811 0.2367%
1951 93 3,860 0.2277%
1952 101 3,713 0.2127%
1953 98 3,833 0.2166%
1954 105 3,991 0.2183%
1955 105 4,093 0.2225%
1956 103 4,386 0.2322%
1957 105 4,441 0.2308%
1958 103 4,660 0.2466%
1959 99 4,872 0.2564%
1960 104 4,652 0.2455%
1961 100 4,660 0.2468%
1962 100 4,434 0.2415%
1963 102 4,247 0.2366%
1964 97 4,287 0.2435%
1965 96 3,918 0.2396%
1966 95 3,671 0.2351%
1967 91 3,706 0.2442%
1968 100 3,551 0.2365%
1969 99 3,711 0.2409%
1970 102 3,789 0.2381%
1971 106 3,570 0.2376%
1972 86 3,442 0.2527%
1973 88 3,492 0.2694%
1974 82 3,609 0.2777%
1975 79 3,568 0.2777%
1976 78 3,583 0.278%
1977 73 3,851 0.2857%
1978 65 4,168 0.31%
1979 59 4,666 0.3309%
1980 55 5,034 0.3443%
1981 54 5,191 0.3531%
1982 56 5,267 0.3525%
1983 55 5,218 0.3536%
1984 57 5,305 0.3566%
1985 54 5,882 0.3875%
1986 51 5,905 0.3912%
1987 52 6,165 0.404%
1988 54 6,439 0.4132%
1989 51 6,895 0.4273%
1990 45 7,288 0.4397%
1991 46 7,118 0.4367%
1992 49 6,846 0.4289%
1993 47 6,808 0.4367%
1994 41 7,523 0.4902%
1995 31 8,564 0.5682%
1996 33 8,565 0.572%
1997 33 8,333 0.5634%
1998 31 8,378 0.5598%
1999 29 9,098 0.6075%
2000 22 10,588 0.6931%
2001 19 10,574 0.7018%
2002 20 10,385 0.693%
2003 21 9,443 0.6207%
2004 20 9,514 0.6242%
2005 22 9,101 0.5952%
2006 22 8,601 0.5493%
2007 25 7,888 0.4999%
2008 26 7,265 0.4701%
2009 28 6,800 0.455%
2010 26 6,326 0.439%
2011 38 5,658 0.3971%
2012 35 5,615 0.394%
2013 35 5,378 0.3777%
2014 34 5,675 0.3895%
2015 44 5,125 0.3522%
2016 49 4,775 0.3312%
2017 53 4,520 0.3239%
2018 54 4,136 0.301%
2019 63 3,807 0.2812%
2020 68 3,417 0.2685%
2021 86 2,784 0.2277%
2022 83 2,939 0.2228%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Anna

If you like Anna, you’ll love these other names like Anna.

What names are diminutives of Anna?

A diminutive is a name that’s like Anna sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Anna, but shorter.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Ann

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Anne

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Annie

Gracious one

Hebrew

Nan

A diminutive form of Anna or Anne, from the Hebrew hannah, grace.

Hebrew

Nana

Star

Polynesian

Nanny

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

What names are variants of Anna?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Anna.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Ana

Gracious one

Hebrew

Anabel

Form of Annabelle

Spanish

Anique

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Anja

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Annabel

Lovable

Latin

Annabelle

Lovable and graceful

English

Annabeth

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Annah

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Annalee

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Annamarie

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Anneke

Sweet-faced; He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Annemarie

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Annet

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Annica

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Annika

Sweet-faced; He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Annmarie

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Anoesj

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Anouska

Russian

Channah

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Hania

A place to rest; to be happy

Hebrew

Hannah

Grace

Hebrew

Nani

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

What names sound like Anna?

If you like how Anna sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Anna.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Abba

Father of exaltation

Hebrew

Alla

A diminutive form of Alice.

Angelica

Angelic

Latin

Angeline

Messenger; messenger of God

Greek

Jana

God is gracious

Hebrew

Savannah

Large, grassy plain

English

Vanna

Golden

Asian

What names are similar to Anna?

Find a name that’s like Anna, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Alice

Of nobility

German

Brenna

Little drop of water; raven or black-haired

Gaelic

Elizabeth

God is my oath

Hebrew

Grace

Gracious one

English

Katherine

Pure

Greek

Mary

Of the sea

Latin

Molly

Of the sea

English

Rebecca

To join

Hebrew

Ruth

Friend

Hebrew

Sarah

Princess

Hebrew

Lists With Anna

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Anna.

Siblings of Anna

Mamas with kids named Anna also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Natalie

Christmas Day

French

Sawyer

Wood Cutter

English

June

Month of June

Latin

Luke

From Lucania

Greek

Hadassah

Myrtle tree

Hebrew

Joel

Yahweh is God

Hebrew

Micah

Who is Like God?

Hebrew

Norah

Honorable one

Latin

Lucy

Of the light

English

Elijah

My God is Yahweh

Hebrew

24 Comments

  1. We love how short and sweet the name Anna is! The name is also found in the Bible, Anna, a prophetess, was a woman of prayer and fasting!

    Reply

  2. I did not like my name when I was a child. I grew up in the U.S. so everyone pronounced it wrong (Anna Banana). But from the age of 13 we moved to all sorts of places around the world, and I loved how everyone knew how to say my name. They said it correctly all over Europe, in Africa, even in the Middle East. I love my name now.

    Reply

  3. I was named after a maternal grandmother, and a paternal aunt. I like the meaning “full of grace”, it’s nice that it’s a family name, and my dad was Jewish so it all made sense. But, I personally never liked it. It’s not the Frozen Elsa’s sister pronunciation, the fancy British variety. Rather it’s the nasal hard “A” sound. And my middle name doesn’t go with it at all, so it’s just very blah feeling. So, I named my kids unique names that still had a familiar vibe. But I do appreciate that it’s classic-ness has stirred up modern interest, and it’s not just great-granny territory anymore. Go, new Annas! Show the world we ain’t all nasal and plain! Lol

    Reply

  4. Anna was my great grandma’s name.

    Reply

  5. I wanted a biblical name and love that Anna in the Bible was a faithful servant to the Lord for 84 years after her husband passed. I want to raise my daughter to be faithful to the Lord for all of her life.

    Reply

  6. We originally wanted Anastasia but chose Anna instead. My husband is polish and we wanted something that would be relevant to both polish and American heritage

    Reply

  7. Classic name,
    Across many different cultures

    Reply

  8. Classic and the meaning

    Reply

  9. Personally, my name is Anna and I hate it. It is just so simple and boring. The majority of kids in my class have exotic names and out of all names my parents could have chose they chose Anna. I just don’t like and I don’t like names with only two letters of the alphabet. So yeah I always hated my name and do not name your child Anna for my sake.

    Reply

    • It’s too bad you feel that way. Anna is a beautiful and elegant name. It is simple, but has a sharpness to it that makes it stand out. With all the “creative” names out there, a simple yet charming name like Anna really makes a statement. It’s sweet, yet retains a regal and elegant, powerful quality. Few names are as timeless and graceful as Anna.

      I’ve always loved my name and am very greatful my parents chose it for me. It’s not boring at all and if it wasn’t already my name I would definitely love to give it to one my daughters if I had kids. Plus its meaning of “full of grace” is lovely. Be proud of your name, you are lucky to have such a great one!

      Reply

      • This is so right. Anna is an amazing name and it only having two letters is good. I have a friend called Elizabeth ____ ________-______ (_ is instead of the letters) and for her to learn to spell that in reception.
        And anyway, you’re stuck with the name, so own it and love it for you.

        Reply

  10. My future daughters’s name is Anna-Jean, we love it! It’s a very simple name, not to hard to spell or pronounce. With “Jean” it makes it a unique name together but with just “Anna” it’s quite common. I wanted a common name, because I have a uncommon name and there are some struggles with that. I think that it fits a young girl and an old woman at the same time, it will age nicely and not seem “trendy,” I doubt it will be the next Jennifer or Jessica where you can tell the age of the person with that name. It also has a tomboy sound while still being hyper feminine and it will suit either one. I wanted a name that sounded southern and northern at the same time, I think that it fits well in both regions. She I also named after relatives, my great-grandmother is named Linda Anne, and my grandmother is named Samantha Jean. Anna is just Anne with an “A” at the end so it works out. Anna is a biblical name and I’m a devout Christian so I wanted a religious name. I’m very excited to meet Anna-Jean on June 15 2021, I can’t wait to see her grow up, graduate college, get married, and have kids. If you see this Anna, I love you! And just so you know it’s me, your brothers Carter and JD say they love you to and can’t wait to meet you!

    Reply

  11. Anna is my great grandmothers name. She was a entrepreneur and one of America’s first female CEOs. I want to honor her legacy and give my daughter a strong timeless name.

    Reply

  12. When I hear the name Anna, I think of a successful, beautiful, sophisticated, smart, take-charge woman, and that is what I hope my daughter will be throughout her life.
    Anna means “Grace,” a quality my husband and I would like to help our daughter show herself and others.
    Besides having a nice meaning, Anna is a short name (to go with her long, European last name) so both the shortness and the flow of the name worked well together.

    Reply

  13. Anna is a nice name to call your kid.
    So nice. It’s… common. Bye!

    Reply

    • I love my name

      Reply

  14. I like them both. They are common.
    Ana is common and Anna is common.
    They are both common.

    Reply

  15. Anna means “grace”, and the prophetess Anna who appears in the Bible is one of the very first people to recognise and worship Jesus for who He is. I also just love the simple, classic and sweet sound of the name.

    Reply

  16. We chose Anna for it’s meaning. The name of a child & it’s definition is important because you are calling your child this for their whole life, and they will become the meaning of their name.
    I was told I would never get pregnant, and if there was the slight chance that I could, that I would miscarry every single time. I got pregnant. Grace. Never miscarried. Grace. Went into labor and had a terrible 41 hour labour ending with an emergency c-section. Everyone was fine. Grace. There was a lot that lined up and surprised us in every way, and we know God was blessing us all throughout this pregnancy with His grace. Anna means grace.

    Reply

  17. I’m a twin. My twin sister is named Anna. My husband was raised Amish and if you are a twin you always name your first child after your twin. I thought it was so sweet so we decided to go with it! It is still hard to call my child the name I’ve called my sister all my life but we usually call her “baby Anna Hope ” to make it different. Her middle name is Hope after my best friend growing up! She a name sake baby.?

    Reply

  18. I always hoped to have a daughter named Anna. My husband didn’t share my feelings on the name. He associated the name with Anna Nicole Smith, haha. I was pretty persistent and once she was born he agreed Anna suited her. I haven’t heard anymore about Anna Nicole Smith since.

    Reply

  19. The name of my husband’s Grandmother. Her middle name is Rose.

    Reply

  20. I chose the name Anna because it was my grandmother’s name, and she was a smart, strong woman. I told her when I was young that she wasn’t allowed to go to heaven until I had my first girl baby. For years, she told me to hurry up because she was getting tired. When she was 97 years old, I had my first child: I named her Anna. 6 months later, my sweet grandmother went to heaven.

    Reply

  21. We both thought our third child was a boy so we were not prepared when SHE was born! We both had girls names we liked but neither of us liked the others ideas. I had always liked the name Anna Sophia since I saw Anna Sophia Robb in a movie so I suggested that. Husband loved it so now we have our own Anna Sophia! ?

    Reply

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