name
Common
anna
A-nuh
Anna (name) means a female given name, a Latinate form related to Ann and Hannah. Example: “Anna studied violin from the age of six.”
name
1
A female given name, a Latinate form related to Ann and Hannah.
"M for Madeleine, M for Marguerite, M for Melanie and the rest, she thought, smiling as she remembered the long string of glamorous names they had invented for her. No wonder plain "Anna" had seemed a little disappointing!"
— Joan G. Robinson, When Marnie Was There (1967)
"Anna Twiggs bailed her sister out of jail Monday evening. She said she found her sister dead in her bed Wednesday morning."
— Chuck Johnston, Judge not allowed back to court after berating woman who died (2018)
"Anna studied violin from the age of six."
noun
1
A small historical coin once used in British India, worth one-sixteenth of a rupee.
"The old ledger recorded prices in rupees and annas."
"The museum displays an anna from the days of British India."
"In the old story, the merchant paid just one anna for a sweet."
How to use anna
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA common first name, or a small unit of currency once used in colonial India.
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Word forms
- Plural
- annas
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_____ studied violin from the age of six.
Etymology
The name traces to Hebrew Hannah ("grace"); the coin sense comes separately from Hindi ann.
Related words
Rhymes for anna
See all rhymes for anna →Frequently asked questions
What does “anna” mean?
The word “anna” means a female given name, a Latinate form related to Ann and Hannah. In plain terms, a common first name, or a small unit of currency once used in colonial India.
How do you pronounce “anna”?
“Anna” is pronounced A-nuh (/ˈænə/ in IPA).
How do you use “anna” in a sentence?
Here is “anna” used in a sentence: “Anna studied violin from the age of six.”
What part of speech is “anna”?
Depending on how it is used, “anna” can be a name and a noun.
Where does the word “anna” come from?
The word “anna” comes from Hebrew. The name traces to Hebrew Hannah ("grace"); the coin sense comes separately from Hindi ann.
Is “anna” a common word?
“Anna” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “anna” have?
“Anna” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a female given name, a Latinate form related to Ann and Hannah.
Is the name Anna related to Hannah?
Yes. Anna is a Latinate form related to the names Ann and Hannah, so the three names belong to the same family. Anna is the form used across many European languages, while Ann and Hannah are more traditional English variants.
What was an anna worth as a coin?
The anna was a small historical coin used in British India, worth one-sixteenth of a rupee. That means sixteen annas made up one rupee. The coin is no longer in circulation, so the word now appears mainly in historical contexts.
What is the difference between Anna and Ana?
Anna and Ana are the same given name with different spellings. Anna, with a double n, is the usual form in English, German, Italian, Russian, and many other languages, while Ana is standard in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries. Neither spelling is more correct; they simply reflect different language traditions.
When is anna capitalized, and what is its plural?
Capitalize Anna when it is the given name. Written in lowercase, anna refers to the historical Indian coin, and its plural is annas, as in "eight annas made half a rupee." Capitalization is the main cue that distinguishes the name from the coin.
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