Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Ana

Anna is the Latin variant of the English Anne and Ana is the Spanish form. All of these names are derived from the Hebrew girl’s name Hannah (meaning “God has favored me”). The name appears briefly in the New Testament (Gospel of Luke) belonging to a devoutly religious prophetess who recognized the baby Jesus as the Messiah. It is often thought (and still believed in Christian tradition) that Anna was the mother of Mary, but this is not supported in the Bible. Anna was mainly popularized by French nuns in the Middle Ages and eventually spread throughout Europe. Spain and Portugal used the variant Ana, as did many of the Slavic nations.

All About the Baby Name – Ana

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME ANA

The number Seven personality is deeply mystical and highly in tune with their spirituality. They operate on a different wavelength than the average joe. Spending time alone comes easily to Sevens, as it gives them time to contemplate philosophical, religious and spiritual ideas in an effort to find "real truth".  Sevens are wise, but often exude mystery as if they are tapped into something the rest of us don't understand. They love the outdoors and are fed by nature. Sevens are constantly seeking to understand human nature, our place in the universe, and the mystery of life in general. This makes them quite artistic and poetic, but they are also keen observers with high intellect - so they are equally scientific-minded. Sevens are charitable and care deeply about the human condition.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME ANA

As the Spanish variant of the English Anna or Anne, Ana has not had the same experience of popularity on the U.S. charts. Rather, Ana has grown in popularity along with the increasing Hispanic and Latino populations in the United States. Ana has never made the Top 100 list of most commonly used girl names, but she has been showing upward momentum. The name does appear to be reaching a plateau in usage today, however. There’s essentially nothing different between Anna and Ana; just a small difference in language origin. Ana is the 16th most popular name in Spain (based on 2009 data) and 5th in Slovenia (2006 data). In fact, Ana is popular all over the Spanish-speaking world as well as the Slavic nations. Its rise in America can be attributed to our own Spanish-speaking population. Not surprisingly, the name Ana is most popular in Texas, one of our border states.

Quick Facts

ON ANA

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

Hebrew

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

237

PRONUNCIATION:

AH-nah

SIMPLE MEANING:

God has favored me

Characteristics

OF ANA

Mystical

Wise

Eccentric

Intuitive

Imaginative

Philosophical

Solitary

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Ana

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME ANA

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Ana

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME ANA

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Ana


Popular Songs

ON ANA

Ana's Song (Open Fire)
a song by Silverchair

Ana & Mia
a song by The Trews

Ana
a song by the Pixies

Famous People

NAMED ANA

Ana Gasteyer (SNL cast member)
Ana Ivanović (tennis player)
Ana Alicia (actress)
Ana Beatriz Barros (Brazilian model)
Ana Cláudia Michels (Brazilian model)

Children of Famous People

NAMED ANA

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Ana

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME ANA

Santa Ana (or Saint Anne) is believed to be the mother of the Virgin Mary, and grandmother of Jesus. She and her husband, Joachim, were unable to have a child for many years and then Anna was visited in the night by an angel who let her know that she would soon conceive a child. The couple were so happy with this news that they promised their child, once born, would be in the service of God. In addition to bearing the child who would become the mother of Jesus, Saint Anne is also the saint of women in labor.