📖 About Anna
Anna is one of the most enduring feminine names in the Western world, derived from the Hebrew Channah, meaning 'grace' or 'favour'. The name travelled from Hebrew into Greek as Hanna, then into Latin as Anna, spreading throughout the Roman Empire and early Christian world. Its biblical roots — Anna was the prophetess who recognized the infant Jesus in the Temple, and Saint Anne was traditionally the mother of the Virgin Mary — gave it deep religious resonance. Across Europe it adapted gracefully: Anne in France and England, Ana in Spanish and Portuguese, Hanna in Scandinavia and Germany, Anya in Russia. In the US, Anna ranked #2 for most of the late 19th century. In Germany it hit #1 in 1990. In France it remains top 10 into the 2020s. The name's power lies in its universality — two syllables recognised in virtually every language, carrying connotations of grace and dignity without ostentation.
📍 Details
- OriginHebrew
- Gender♀ Female
- MeaningGrace, favor
- Name DayJuly 26
🔀 Variants & Related Names
⭐ Famous People
- Anna Pavlova — Russian prima ballerina widely regarded as one of the greatest dancers in history; inspiration for the meringue dessert named in her honour
- Anna Karenina — Central character of Leo Tolstoy's 1878 masterpiece, considered one of the greatest novels ever written; her name has become synonymous with tragic romantic heroism
- Anna Kendrick — American actress and singer known for her roles in the Pitch Perfect franchise and Up in the Air, for which she received an Academy Award nomination
- Anne Frank — German-born Jewish diarist whose account of hiding from the Nazis during WWII became one of the most widely read books in the world
- Anna Wintour — British-American editor-in-chief of Vogue and one of the most influential figures in the global fashion industry