Anna
AN-uh /ˈæn.ə/
Meaning of Anna
Anna is the Graeco-Latin form of the Hebrew חַנָּה (Hannah), meaning 'grace' or 'favour.' The Greek New Testament uses Anna for the prophetess who recognises the infant Jesus in Luke 2:36 — giving the name its first Christian appearance independent of its Hebrew source. From the Byzantine Greek world it spread to virtually every European language, making it one of the most geographically widespread given names in recorded history.
How to pronounce Anna
In German, Italian and Russian: AH-na (the vowel is more open than in English).
Current popularity of Anna
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Germany (GfdS) | 2024 | #10 |
| Italy (ISTAT) | 2024 | #15 |
| Poland (MSWiA) | 2024 | #2 |
| SE | 2024 | #7 |
Cultural notes
One of the few names that has been continuously in the top-10 simultaneously in German, Italian, Russian and Polish registries for the past century.
Notable bearers of Anna
Anna of the New Testament (prophetess, Luke 2:36); Anna Karenina (Tolstoy, 1878); Anna Wintour; Anna Netrebko (soprano).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Anna — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31