Meaning:
Its source is Channah, a Hebrew name meaning "Favored grace."
Languages:
This girl's name is used in English, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Hawaiian, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian and Romanian.
Nicknames: Anica and Anka
Popularity:
The name Ana ranked 131st in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 181st in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.
Narrative:
In the Jewish scriptures, Channah, wife of Elkanah, was barren. At the temple near Shiloh, she asked God to bless her with a child, promising to dedicate her baby to His service.
Her prayer was answered, and her son Samuel was ''lent to the Lord'' for all the days of his life. Indeed, he grew up to be one of Israel's most revered prophets.
With this story in mind, some authorites translate this name as a full sentence: ''God has graced me with a son.''
TM & Copyright © 1998-2007 Oxygen Media. All Rights Reserved