Anna

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Anna

Gender: Feminine
Language: English, German, Russian, Polish, Swedish, Latin
Etymology:
Anna is the Latin form of Hannah, a Hebrew name meaning “God Has Favored Me,” “Grace, Graceful,” or “Prayer.”

History:
Anna was the traditional translation of Hannah in many European languages, including the Germanic languages and Latin. It became a popular version of Ann in the 18th century when Latinate names were in vogue. At the end of the 20th century, it has again become the favored version. Please see Hannah for more information.

Pronunciation: ann-ah.

Diminutives:
English: Annie, Anney, Anny, Nan, Nancy, Nanny.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Anna Visscher (1583-1651)
Dutch poet.
Anna Seward (1747-1809)
English poet.
Anna Maria Lenngren (1754-1817)
Swedish poet.
Anna Cora Mowatt (1819-1970)
American playwright.
Anna Sewell (1820-1878)
British author of Black Beauty.
Anna Lea Merritt (1844-1930)
American artist.
Anna Katherine Green (1846-1935)
American author.
Anna Robertson Moses (1860-1961)
American painter known as Grandma Moses.
Anna Vaughn Hyatt (1876-1973)
American sculptor.
Anna Pavlova (1881-1931)
Russian ballerina.
Anna Ahkmatova (1889-1966)
Russian poet.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Anna Comnena (1083-1148)
Byzantine historian. Daughter of Emperor Alexius I Comnenus.
Anna Peck Sill (1816-1889)
American educator. Founder of Rockford College.

Fictional Characters:
Anna Karenina (1875-1877)
Title character in the Leo Tolstoy novel.

Miscellaneous:
Anna Warner Baily (1758-1851)
American patriot called Mother Bailey.
Anna Sartorius Uhl Ottendorfer (1815-1884)
German-American publisher.
Anna Hariette Leonowens (1834-1914)
British woman who became the governess for the children of King Mongkut of Siam. Her life became the basis for The King and I.
Anna M. Richardson Harkenss (1837-1926)
American philanthropist.
Anna Howard Shaw (1847-1919)
American feminist. Leader of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.

Places:
Sint Anna Bay (Santa Anna Bay) (Dutch: Sint Anna Baai)
Netherlands Antilles.

Royalty:
Empress Anna of Russia (1693-1740)
Niece of Peter the Great. She ruled form 1730 to 1740.
Anna Leopoldovna (1718- 1746)
Regent for her son, the infant Tsar Ivan VI, whose brief rule lasted one year.

Scientists:
Anna Freud (1895-1982)
Daughter of Sigmund Freud and founder of child psychoanalysis.
Anna Magnani (1908-1973)
Italian actress.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.440 % named Anna

Popularity of Anna:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 17th most popular.
1850: 8th most popular.
1875: 4th most popular.
1880: 2nd most popular.
1881: 2nd most popular.
1882: 2nd most popular.
1883: 2nd most popular.
1884: 2nd most popular.
1885: 2nd most popular.
1886: 2nd most popular.
1887: 2nd most popular.
1888: 2nd most popular.
1889: 2nd most popular.
1890: 2nd most popular.
1881: 2nd most popular.
1882: 2nd most popular.
1883: 2nd most popular.
1884: 2nd most popular.
1885: 2nd most popular.
1886: 2nd most popular.
1887: 2nd most popular.
1888: 2nd most popular.
1889: 2nd most popular.
1900: 3rd most popular.
1901: 3rd most popular.
1902: 3rd most popular.
1903: 4th most popular.
1904: 5th most popular.
1905: 4th most popular.
1906: 5th most popular.
1907: 4th most popular.
1908: 4th most popular.
1909: 6th most popular.
1910: 6th most popular.
1911: 6th most popular.
1912: 6th most popular.
1913: 8th most popular.
1914: 7th most popular.
1915: 6th most popular.
1916: 7th most popular.
1917: 6th most popular.
1918: 8th most popular.
1919: 10th most popular.
1920-1930: 12th most popular.
1920: 8th most popular.
1921: 10th most popular.
1922: 10th most popular.
1930-1940: 33rd most popular.
1940-1950: 72nd most popular.
1950-1960: 103rd most popular.
1960-1970: 101st most popular.
1970-1980: 86th most popular.
1980-1990: 53rd most popular.
1990: 45th most popular.
1991: 43rd most popular.
1992: 45th most popular.
1993: 46th most popular.
1994: 37th most popular.
1995: 31st most popular.
1996: 32nd most popular.
1997: 33rd most popular.
1998: 32nd most popular.
1999: 28th most popular.
2000: 22nd most popular.
2001: 19th most popular.
2002: 20th most popular.
2003: 21st most popular.

In France...
1900: 25th most popular.
1910: 31st most popular.
1920: 43rd most popular.
1930: 61st most popular.
1940: 98th most popular.
1950: 167th most popular.
1960: 133rd most popular.
1970: 138th most popular.
1980: 162nd most popular.
1990: 146th most popular.
2000: 71st most popular.

In Ireland...
1998: 33rd most popular.
1999: 28th most popular.
2000: 28th most popular.
2001: 26th most popular.
2002: 21st most popular.
2003: 22nd most popular.

Popularity of Annika:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1990: N/A
1994: N/A
1995: 990th most popular.
1996: 657th most popular.
1997: 495th most popular.
1998: 470th most popular.
1999: 468th most popular.
2000: 439th most popular.
2001: 357th most popular.
2002: 344th most popular.
2003: 284th most popular.