The first name Ann
A girl’s name from Hebrew meaning “anna”, “hannah”, “grace”.
Pronounced /æn/ 1 syllable Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Ann means “anna”, “hannah”, “grace” in Hebrew.
From Late Latin Anna chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate in reference to Anna the Prophetess, from Koine Greek Ἄννα (Ánna, “Anna”) in the New Testament, from Hebrew חַנָּה (Ḥannâ, “Hannah”), from חַנָּה (ḥannâ, “grace, gracious, graced with child”). Occasionally reborrowed from languages who adopted the name from English. Very infrequently from Estonian abbreviation of Anna instead. Doublet of Ana, Anna, Anne, and Hannah.
More names that mean grace.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 14 girls were named Ann, making it the 2,006th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 46 births (#539).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ann with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Ann at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 225 girls born in the United States were named Ann, the 1,076th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1957, when 9,040 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Ann in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Ann
317 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Ann RadcliffeEnglish author and pioneer of the Gothic novel (1764–1823)
- Ann CoulterAmerican author, political commentator, born 1961
- Ann BlythAmerican actress (1927–2026)
- Anne BradstreetAnglo-American poet (1612–1672)
- Penelope Ann MillerAmerican actress, born 1964
- Deborah Ann WollAmerican actress, born 1985
- Ann RutherfordCanadian-American actress, 1917–2012
- Ann SheridanAmerican actress (1915-1967)
- Lesley Ann WarrenAmerican actress, born 1946
- Elizabeth Ann SetonFirst native-born American saint of the Roman Catholic Church (1774-1821)
- Ann DowdAmerican actress, born 1956
- Ann HardingAmerican actress (1902–1981)
More Hebrew girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Ann mean?
- Ann means “anna”, “hannah”, “grace” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name Ann?
- From Late Latin Anna chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate in reference to Anna the Prophetess, from Koine Greek Ἄννα (Ánna, “Anna”) in the New Testament, from Hebrew חַנָּה (Ḥannâ, “Hannah”), from חַנָּה (ḥannâ, “grace,…
- How popular is the name Ann?
- In 2025, 14 girls born in England and Wales were named Ann, ranking 2,006th. Its peak was 1996, with 46 births.
- What are nicknames for Ann?
- Common nicknames for Ann include Annie, Nan.
- Is Ann a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 471,625 US babies named Ann since 1880 were girls.
- When was Ann most popular?
- 1957 in the United States, when 9,040 babies were named Ann, its highest rank at 44th.
- How do you pronounce Ann?
- Ann is /æn/, one syllable.
- What are other spellings of Ann?
- Anne.
- Is Ann also a surname?
- Yes. Ann is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.