Ana
/ˈa.na/
The name Ana is the Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, Romanian, and Slovak form of Anna, derived ultimately from the Hebrew Channah (חַנָּה), meaning grace, favor, or mercy.
The name reached Latin through the Greek Anna, the form used in the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible, and from there entered virtually every European language during the early Christian era.
The biblical Hannah, mother of the prophet Samuel, provides the earliest literary figure bearing the name, with her song of praise in 1 Samuel 2 serving as a model for the Magnificat in Luke’s Gospel.
What the name Ana means
Equally important is Saint Anne, the traditional name given to the mother of the Virgin Mary in the apocryphal Gospel of James, written around 145 CE.
Veneration of Saint Anne spread widely in the 13th century and her feast was added to the Roman calendar in 1584, cementing the name’s popularity across Catholic Europe.
Royal and noble bearers accelerated the spread of Ana across the Iberian Peninsula.
Ana of Austria (1549-1580) became Queen consort of Spain as the fourth wife of Philip II, while Ana de Jesús (1545-1621) worked alongside Teresa of Ávila to reform the Carmelite order.
The literary tradition includes the tragic heroine of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina (1877), though that character uses the Russian form.
In the United States, Ana has maintained steady presence in the top 300 since the 1970s, reflecting both Hispanic heritage communities and broader crossover appeal.
According to Social Security Administration records, Ana peaked around 2000 and has settled into the top 200. It remains extremely common in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Romania, and Croatia, where it frequently ranks among the top 10 girls’ names.
Notable bearers include Cuban-American actress Ana de Armas, Brazilian model Ana Beatriz Barros, and Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Ana
Ana - similar names
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