Hannah: Meaning, Popularity, Origin of Baby Name Hannah

Hannah

Pronunciation: HA-nə, HAH-nə (key)

Origin of the name Hannah:

Derived from the Hebrew hannāh, chaanach (gracious, full of grace, mercy). The name, borne in the Bible by the mother of the prophet Samuel, received a boost in popularity by the Puritans, who favored Bible names.

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Related Names:

Hana, Hanna

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US Popularity of Hannah Over Time

Sister & Brother Names

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Comments and insights on the name Hannah: | Edit

My daughter (Hannah) was born (6/03). I don't remember why or when we picked this name out but she is so much a Hannah. The nickname she is called the most is Hannah Bear, my sister in law gave it to her as a baby. We also call her Hannah Banana, Hannah bobana. Her little sister is named Grace(9/03) and we didnt realize until after that Hannah means Gods Grace. We also Have a Isabella(5/09).

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Hannahs are extremely nice. Their name meaning "grace" or "merciful" is extremely acurate. They are quick to forgive and if they are crossed they are quick to make excuses. Although sometimes they are quick to yell at people. They complain a lot, but don't mean any actual harm. They are smart all around, but enjoy math and numbers the most. Most often they go into the numerical side of businesses such as accountants, etc. They are not very sporty, but will try mostly everything with a little nudging. They are great friends. They accept peoples personalities even if they are not that nice. Anyone would be lucky to have a Hannah as a friend. <3 Maxiiine.

Personal experiences with the name Hannah: | Edit

My name! Was born in 91, Though I pronounce it as Haw-Nuh, which I've never heard anywhere else.

My name is Hannah and I love my name when I was born it was the 3rd most popular name! i go by Banana

My daughter Hannah was born in 1999. At the time, I didn't know of anyone who had named their daughter Hannah and it's only been in recent years that I've discovered that it has become quite popular. That being said, we've not met many Hannah's here in Ontario. I really love her name and so does she. She has a few nicknames, the ever popular Hannah Banana and also Bam Bam, which is unique to her I think and it came from Han Ban which she also gets from time to time. She's a red head and has an older sister named Madeleine. She'll also have her named misspelled without the last H from time to time but it's nothing like what her sister goes through with people trying to spell or even pronounce her name!! Oh, Hannah's middle name is Siobhan which we love too.

This is my daughter's (born 2006)name. I find that we don't run into many Hannah's in the 2 and under set, but that there are gobs of girls 5-10 years older than her with the name. Based on this, I think Hannah's star is beginning to fade a little bit. Overall, the name has worked for us. My only negative experience with this name is that it is misspelled (no H at the end) surprisingly often for such a common name.

As a Hannah, I like my name, I just don't like how boring it is. Sure, it's pretty, but it's kind of bland. I don't have too many problems, except for having it misspelled without the H at end, and whenever people don't hear me correctly whenever I introduce myself and think I say Anna.

I think the popularity of the name is regional and by regional I am refering to the regions of the United States and also the regions within each large state. I named my daughter Hannah in 2003, when according to statistics the name was on the rise. However, I live in the NY Metro area and have only bumped into 1 or 2 Hannahs a year. I am also an elementary school teacher and I have yet to have a Hannah attend school in my building these past 5 years. However, the name is much more popular in Upstate NY. All I know is that I am extremely happy with the name and have never had any regrets because it suits my daugher perfectly...now if I can only find the perfect name for the little girl I'm carrying :)

I am a Hannah born in the late 1970s (when the name rank was #452)so I never meet anyone my age with the name..but I am always startled by moms yelling at their little Hannahs nearby.

My name is Hannah and I was born in 1982. I knew one other Hannah until I graduated from high school in 2000. When I started college I began to get compliments on my name all the time. When I worked at a daycare I met a little girl with the same first and last name as me. I hear Hannah quite frequently but no one my age is called Hannah so it's cool. I didn't like my name as a small child but grew to love it.

"Hannah Montana" ruined it.

My name is Hannah and like it a lot but there are 4 Hannah's in 9th grade at my school, at least two in 10th, 3 in 11th and 1 in 12th. I've met countless other Hannah's in my life. As a child there were tons of Hannah's in class all through elementary school. My first best friends name was Hannah. All of you people who say you've never met one need to get out a little more.

I know five Hannah's but out of those, only two are spelled this way. One Hannah goes by Hannah Banana, the other Hanzo. The other Hannahs I know, two are spelled Hanna and one is spelled Hana. I prefer the spelling Hannah.

I'm a Hannah and I know three other Hannahs. My middle name's Rose, and I feel Rose suits me better than Hannah, but I still do like the name.

Nicknames for Hannah: | Edit

My name's Hannah, and my mom always called me Hannahbelles. My friends always call me Hanny, or Hanner. The former three are my favorites, or at leasts ones I don't hate. Aha. When Hannah Montana came around, I hated that, so much, and Hannah Banana.

Our Hannah's nicknames are Bam Bam (evolved from Han Ban) which is, I think, unique to her and she also gets Hannah Banana from time to time.

This name does not lend itself to nicknames. However, a lot of people add a word that rhymes to the end of it. My daughter mostly gets Hannah Banana, but has also been referred to as Hannah Cabana and Hanza Bonanza.

I sometimes shorten to Han, but I wouldn't really consider this a nickname. We call my daughter "The Hanster" a lot, but I think that's pretty specific to our family!

I have noticed on Jon & Kate Plus 8, they often call their daughter Hannah, Hannie.

I have known Hanja, Han and Hanny.

We had tons of cute nicknames for Hannah but as she gets older we stick to our favorite, Hannie.... or Han.

My daughter got the very common "Hannah Banana". At home, it's been shorted to "HannahBee". She also gets called Hannakin Skywalker, Hannah Pyjama, Hannarita and Hannah-bo-banna.

My sister Hannah gets heaps of nicknames - Hann, Hannah Banana, Hanster, Hanny Banany, Hannalyce/Hannalycie (a combination of Hannah and her middle name, Alyce), Hannah Nanna, and Hannah-head shark (although I think that's speciafic to our family).

My name is Hannah and I get Hanny (my personal favorite), Han, Hannah Banana, Hey-nah, Hanana, Han-O-Meter

I am also named Hannah. I get called Hanners, Hannah Montana, Hannie, and of course the ever popular Hannah Banana...

My daughter's friends call her Hoonz, and my older daughter calls her Hannie (or is it Hanny)

I was called Hannah Barbarian in school (after Hanna-Barbera cartoons..I'm old)..it kind of stuck. Oh, and I am from Montana, which is funny now.

I am called the famous Hannah Banana, along with Hanners and Hannah Bean.

I call my sister, Hannah, Nabee(pronounced as nab-bay), though I'm not so sure where it came from...

I've gotten Hannah Banana, Hannie, Hanner, Hannah Barbera, and Hannah Montana.

My sister calls me Hannie, my friends, Pal (short for Palindrome) my boyfriend, Hannah Banana, Nana, my parents, Hannabell

My name is Hannah, and I grew up with the classics (Hannah Banana, Hannella, Hannah Bee, Hanners, Han, Hannie) but recently a friend at work started calling me Hansey-Bam-Bam and it is by far the most original and the best nickname I've gotten.

Hanzo, Hans, Han-Han, Hannah Banana

Meanings and history of the name Hannah: | Edit

This name is Hebrew and means "grace" or "grace of God". I once saw a website that listed the meaning as "God has blessed me with a son", but have never seen that one anywhere else. It makes sense considering the Biblical story, though.

Famous real-life people named Hannah: | Edit

Hannah Arendt - German-American political theorist
Hannah Wood - American actress; sister of Elijah Wood
Hannah Gordon - Scottish actress
Hannah Wilke - American painter
Hannah Teter - American snowboarder
Hannah Cornett - American model and actress
Hannah Cowley - American dramatist and poet
Hannah Hoes van Buren - former First Lady of the United States and wife of Martin van Buren
Hannah Storm - American TV presenter
Hannah Webster Foster - American novelist

Hannah in song, story & screen: | Edit

"Hard-Hearted Hannah, the Vamp of Savannah", popular song of the 1940s.
"Hannah Montana" is a very popular television show on the Disney Channel.
"Hannah and Her Sisters," Woody Allen film
Hannah is a Palindrome, children's book
Hannah Abbott, Hufflepuff student in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Hannah Ashworth, character portrayed by Emma Rigby on the English soap opera Hollyoaks
Hannah Martin, character portrayed by Rebecca Ritters on the Australian soap opera Neighbours
Hannah Snow, a character in the Night World series by L.J. Smith.

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78
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Smart?

68
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Sexy?

82
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Friendly?

74
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Creative?

70
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Strong?

71
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Young?

69
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Sophisticated?

NameMapper

Current Popularity of Hannah by State

Global Popularity of the Name Hannah

  • #1 in Germany
  • #3 in Canada (Saskatchewan)
  • #7 in Austria
  • #7 in Canada (Ontario)
  • #8 in Canada (British Columbia)
  • #9 in Canada (Alberta)
  • #9 in Northern Ireland
  • #10 in Scotland
  • #11 in New Zealand
  • #16 in Australia (Victoria)
  • #16 in England
  • #16 in Ireland
  • #17 in United States
  • #18 in Australia (New South Wales)
  • #36 in Norway
  • #87 in Belgium
  • #252 in Canada (Quebec)