Anna
/ˈænə/
noun
Origin
Hebrew
חַנָּה (Hannah) — grace, favor
Overview
Meaning Now
- A female given name of Hebrew origin, historically popular across various cultures due to its biblical significance.
- A former monetary unit of British India and Pakistan, equal to 1/16 of a rupee.
Literal older meaning
grace or favor
Language path
Hebrew → Latin → English
Earliest form
Ἄννα
Earliest period
1st century
Journey
The given name Anna appears in the New Testament as a prophetess. The currency unit 'anna' was introduced by the East India Company, derived from the Sanskrit word 'ānaka'.
Evolution
- Biblical Hebrew
חַנָּה
“favor, grace”
Source of the name.
- Koine Greek
Ἄννα
“Anna”
Hellenization of the Hebrew name.
- Middle English
Anna
“Anna”
Adopted through religious texts.
Connections
Word parts
Anna
root
proper name
Related across languages
Russian
Анна
Anna
Spanish
Ana
Anna
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.