Ana
Say it: AN-a
GirlMeans grace, favour3 letters2 syllables
#294
in Ireland (2025)
#298 with spellings combined
14
babies in 2025
#212
best rank (2023)
420
babies since 1982
Up 18
10-year rank change
Ana through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | #298 |
| 2024 | 16 | #265 |
| 2023 | 20 | #212 |
| 2022 | 16 | #269 |
| 2021 | 7 | #510 |
| 2020 | 19 | #231 |
| 2019 | 18 | #261 |
| 2018 | 19 | #245 |
| 2017 | 15 | #301 |
| 2016 | 21 | #228 |
| 2015 | 15 | #316 |
| 2014 | 21 | #242 |
| 2013 | 12 | #376 |
| 2012 | 17 | #296 |
| 2011 | 16 | #307 |
| 2010 | 17 | #310 |
| 2009 | 23 | #232 |
| 2008 | 20 | #257 |
| 2007 | 16 | #286 |
| 2006 | 10 | #369 |
| 2005 | 13 | #277 |
| 2004 | 15 | #242 |
| 2003 | 13 | #263 |
| 2002 | 9 | #331 |
| 2001 | 14 | #238 |
| 2000 | 9 | #303 |
| 1997 | 6 | #394 |
| 1996 | 3 | #534 |
| 1984 | 3 | #516 |
| 1982 | 3 | #523 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Ana mean?
Grace, favour
A form of Anna, from the Hebrew Hannah (grace, favour).
Say it right
ANa
In Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian the first "a" is more open, closer to AH-na.
The story of Ana
Ana is the form of Anna used in Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian and several Slavic languages. It goes back through Greek and Latin to the Hebrew Hannah, which means grace or favour. Much of its use comes from Saint Anne, who in Christian tradition is the mother of the Virgin Mary.
It is the same name as Anna, Ann and Hannah, just written the way many European languages spell it.
In Ireland Ana first reached three babies a year in 1982. Its biggest year was 2009, with 23 girls, and its best rank was number 212 in 2023. In 2025, 14 girls were named Ana. The CSO counts Ana and Anna separately, and Anna is far more common, so the full sound is much more popular than this spelling alone suggests.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Ana (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Ana (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Ana | 14 | 420 |
In Northern Ireland
#334 in 2025 with 4 babies. Best rank #171 (2018); 127 babies since 1998.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.