Meaning and Origin of the Name Anne

The Anne name which can also be spelled Ann, is the shorter version of the name Anna. Anna comes from the Hebrew name Hannah, which is a Hebrew name meaning ‘he has found favour in me’ or ‘gracious and merciful’. Another meaning of Anne comes from the goddess of war Annahitha and means’without sin’.

It has been said that Anne was the name of the virgin Marys mother. Thus, the names Mary and Anne are often used together. In the past it has also been used as a male name in the Netherlands, France and Scotland.

Popularity of Anne

Anne has been very popular in France and North America in the past. In 1970s it was in the top 100 names for girls. However, over the course of the past few years the popularity of Anne has dropped in rank to the 900’s.

Famous People Called Anne

There have been many songs written with the name in it by performers such as Ray Charles and Little Richard.

Also, Many famous people have been named Anne such as Anne Boleyn, Anne Hathaway and Anne Frank amongst many others. The name has even gone so far as to be attached to a rag doll. It is also said that people with the name Anne or a similar form of the name are born leaders and independent people this is true especially with Queens of England including Anne Boleyn, Anne of Cleves and Anne Queen of Britain.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other English girls’ names on our website.