How to say it
A · na
/ˈɑn.ə/
Feminine
Ana
Grace, favor
What it means
Spanish, Portuguese, and Slavic form of Anna, from the Hebrew Hannah ('grace, favor'). The standalone Ana (no double N) is the dominant spelling across the Spanish-speaking world.
Ana is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Slavic form of Anna, ultimately from the Hebrew Hannah (Channah, meaning 'grace' or 'favor'). The single-N spelling is the dominant form across the Spanish-speaking world and parts of Eastern Europe, while Anna with the double N dominates English, Italian, and German. Saint Anne (Hannah in Hebrew tradition), the mother of the Virgin Mary in Christian and Islamic tradition, is the deepest religious anchor. As a US given name Ana has been steady in the top 200 since the 1980s with Latino population growth. Common companions in compound Spanish names: Ana María, Ana Sofía, Ana Lucía. No common nickname; Ana is already short.
Popularity over time
peaked at #119 in 1991, currently #245 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Ana (single N) is Spanish, Portuguese, and Slavic; Anna (double N) is English, Italian, and German. Same name, same root.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Saint Anne Mother of the Virgin Mary in Christian and Islamic tradition (Hannah in Hebrew)
- Ana de Armas Cuban-Spanish actress, Blade Runner 2049 and Knives Out
Spelling variants
- Anna
- Hannah
- Anya
Names with the same feeling
See Ana from another angle
By meaning
By style