Anna Girl

Popularity: #94 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AN-uh /ˈænə/

Origin: Hebrew; Latin; Greek

Meaning: Hebrew: grace; Latin: favor; Greek: full of grace

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Anna has its roots in the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Channah), which means "grace" or "favor." This name was transliterated into Greek as Ἄννα (Anna) and subsequently adopted into Latin as Anna. The transition into English occurred through the Old French form Anne, which was prevalent in medieval England, particularly after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

The name has maintained its form and phonetics across these languages, reflecting its enduring appeal and simplicity. Historically, Anna is associated with several significant figures, particularly in religious contexts.

In the Christian tradition, Anna is recognized as the mother of the Virgin Mary, making her a prominent figure in the New Testament. This association is notably highlighted in the apocryphal Gospel of James, which dates back to the 2nd century.

The name also appears in various forms in the Bible, contributing to its historical resonance. Additionally, Anna was a common name among early saints, further solidifying its place in Christian heritage.

Culturally, the name Anna has been embraced across various societies, often symbolizing grace and favor. Its simplicity and elegance have allowed it to transcend cultural boundaries, making it a timeless choice in many languages and traditions.

In literature and art, Anna has been depicted in various forms, often embodying virtues such as kindness and compassion. The diminutive form "Annie" has also emerged in various cultures, reflecting a more intimate or affectionate version of the name, although Anna itself remains the more formal and widely recognized version.

Famous people named Anna

In this section, you will find notable people named Anna. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Anna who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Anna who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Anna Kendrick is an actress and singer best known for Pitch Perfect, Up in the Air, and Into the Woods.

Anna Wintour is a journalist and editor best known for her role as editor-in-chief of Vogue and for The September Issue.

Anna Paquin is an actress best known for her roles in The Piano, True Blood, and X-Men.

Anna Faris is an actress and comedian best known for Scary Movie, The House Bunny, and Mom.

Anna Kournikova is a retired professional tennis player best known for her doubles success and her appearances in various media.

Anna Netrebko is an operatic soprano best known for her performances at the Metropolitan Opera and her recordings of classical music.

Anna Deavere Smith is an actress and playwright best known for her work in The West Wing, Nurse Jackie, and her documentary theater pieces.

Fictional characters named Anna

The following list of fictional characters named Anna is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Anna is a fictional character from the animated film Frozen. She is the optimistic and adventurous sister of Elsa, the Snow Queen, who embarks on a journey to save her kingdom from eternal winter.

Anna is a fictional character from the novel Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. She is a tragic heroine who struggles with her desires and societal expectations in 19th-century Russia.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Anna, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

EmmaSophieMiaLilyGraceElla

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Anna. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

HannahMariaClaraNinaIslaLeahSaraEva

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Anna was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Anna has ranked as high as #19 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, New York, California, Ohio, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Anna has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Anna is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Anna was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Anna (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
TX 264
10%
CA 237
9%
NY 147
6%
PA 140
5%
FL 131
5%
OH 108
4%
NC 100
4%
GA 99
4%
TN 87
3%
VA 85
3%
IL 82
3%
AL 71
3%
MA 69
3%
IN 69
3%
WA 67
3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Anna.

YearBirths
20242,700
20232,931
20222,958
20213,078
20203,507
20193,845
20184,197
20174,574
20164,805
20155,149
20145,704
20135,396
20125,628
20115,672
20106,335
20096,818
20087,277
20077,900
20068,611
20059,110
20049,529
20039,463
200210,394
200110,592
200010,613
19999,115
19988,386
19978,342
19968,574
19958,569
19947,529
19936,812
19926,853
19917,118
19907,293
19896,899
19886,443
19876,169
19865,906
19855,885
19845,306
19835,218
19825,270
19815,192
19805,037
19794,669
19784,173
19773,852
19763,585
19753,578
19743,621
19733,507
19723,449
19713,578
19703,799
19693,721
19683,569
19673,727
19663,679
19653,920
19644,292
19634,255
19624,430
19614,677
19604,659
19594,878
19584,661
19574,442
19564,393
19554,090
19544,000
19533,837
19523,714
19513,870
19503,815
19493,897
19484,037
19474,238
19463,999
19453,607
19443,635
19434,231
19424,488
19414,432
19404,717
19394,929
19385,144
19375,450
19365,727
19356,162
19346,680
19337,072
19327,924
19318,429
19309,081
19299,750
192810,575
192711,215
192611,698
192512,250
192413,076
192312,865
192213,408
192114,476
192014,581
191914,498
191815,666
191715,160
191615,228
191515,119
191411,865
19139,687
19128,586
19116,753
19106,436
19095,804
19085,860
19075,575
19065,502
19055,424
19045,330
19035,098
19025,288
19014,923
19006,114
18995,115
18985,773
18975,429
18965,860
18955,950
18945,565
18935,695
18925,542
18915,099
18905,233
18895,062
18884,982
18874,227
18864,283
18853,994
18843,860
18833,306
18823,143
18812,698
18802,604