The Origin and Meaning of the Name Hannah

The name Hannah has a very interesting biblical origin and a beautiful meaning. Read the following article to learn all about it!
The Origin and Meaning of the Name Hannah

Last update: 25 September, 2022

Are you having a baby girl and would like to choose a biblical name for her? One of the most striking and popular names is Hannah, which is present in the Old Testament. If you want to know the origin and meaning of the name Hannah, keep reading this article.

The name Hannah is used to refer to girls. This particular name is very beautiful, has a precious sound, and carries a special and humanitarian meaning. Despite being very long-lived due to its origins, it wasn’t until the 90’s that it reached its maximum popularity among parents, appearing in TV series and movies. Let’s discover the history and meaning behind the name Hannah!

Discover the origin and meaning of the name Hannah

Hannah is a name that comes from the Hebrew Channah, which means ‘favor’ and ‘grace’. It also translates to “full of grace”, “compassionate”, or “God’s compassion”, denoting its religious origin. This name appears in the Old Testament, where Hannah (or Anna, according to the translation of the biblical text) is mentioned as the mother of Samuel, whom God visited and blessed with three sons and two daughters.

In the last 30 years, the popularity of the name Hannah grew, and it ranked among the top 50 baby names. In the late 1990s, this preference reached its peak and remained in the top spots for several years thanks to the Disney Channel series, Hannah Montana, whose character was played by actress and singer Miley Cyrus.

The series became a worldwide hit and ran for four seasons. Years later, in 2009, the movie Hannah Montana: The Movie was released, which further catapulted the name.

In the United States, it was ranked number two for three consecutive years (1998, 1999, and 2000) and was among the top five names. It then moved to third and fourth place between 2001 and 2003. By 2020, it ranked 39th on the most popular list, although it’s still popular with parents who, like you, are looking for a representative name for their little girl.

Hannah’s saint day is July 26 and, according to numerology, its number is 1.

Today, Hannah’s popularity is mainly due to the hit TV series Hanna Montana, which starred Miley Cyrus.

The name Hannah in other languages

Learn about the name Hannah in Hebrew, German, and Dutch:

  • Chana (Hebrew)
  • Chanah (Hebrew)
  • Hanna (Hebrew, German, and Dutch)
  • Hanne (German)

Variations of the name Hannah

Some variations of the name Hannah are as follows:

  • Ana
  • Hanni
  • Hann
  • Ann
  • Anna
  • Anne

Famous people with the name Hannah

Many women in the world of arts and entertainment are named Hannah or one of its variations. Being a name that has been extremely popular since the 90s, these celebrities have in common the fact that they’re mostly young women belonging to Generation Z and are influential on social media:

  • Hannah Brown: American model and former beauty queen. She starred in season 15 of The Bachelorette.
  • Hannah Rylee: She’s one of the most influential personalities of the Tik Tok network. Her videos have been very popular among teenagers.
  • Hannah Stocking: Actress, model, and social media personality in the United States. She’s the host of the talk show Mindie, on YouTube Music.
  • Hannah Barnes: British professional cyclist. She has excelled in cyclo-cross and track cycling.
  • Hannah Arendt: German writer, philosopher, and political theorist of Jewish origin.
  • Hannah Alper: Canadian activist, blogger, and motivational coach.
  • Hanna Nicole Perez: She’s an American singer, songwriter, producer, and member of the duo Ha*Ash, along with her sister Ashley Grace Perez.
Hannah Rylee sitting in a car.
Hannah Rylee is one of the most influential young women on Tik Tok. Most of the current personalities bearing this name have a lot of presence on social networks.

The personality of girls named Hannah

Biblical names, as a rule, have a special meaning and reveal something about the character, nature, and life of those who carry them. In the same way, first names denote particular characteristics of the people who bear them. In this regard, it’s said of girls and women named Hannah that they’re very sensitive, caring, altruistic, and humanitarian, very given to helping others. In addition, they have a very sociable personality and honest nature, and in them prevails sincerity and nobility.

Hannah, full of grace

Now that you know the origin and meaning of the name Hannah, you’ll love to give it to your daughter because not only does it have a sweet sound, but there’s also a very interesting biblical story and a beautiful meaning behind it. For you, your Hannah will be full of grace, compassion, and love.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Enlow J. Glosario de nombres bíblicos. 21° edic. Colombia: Editorial Mundo Hispano; 2007. Disponible en: https://books.google.es/books?hl=es&lr=&id=BZFlUZfafqYC&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=nombres+b%C3%ADblicos&ots=d3EsiAXY9y&sig=d0ubhK3pYmvSzGNQtIH3DM_YnYs#v=onepage&q=nombres%20b%C3%ADblicos&f=false
  • Heitzmann M. Nombres bíblicos en el santoral católico. 1° edic. España: Edicions Universitat de Barcelona; 1982. Disponible en: https://books.google.es/books?hl=es&lr=&id=Zm4QwssSPSgC&oi=fnd&pg=PA5&dq=nombres+b%C3%ADblicos&ots=BgtRc5sJrm&sig=7CH-rn1bVIugv-NFsHuH14-Y1Po#v=onepage&q=nombres%20b%C3%ADblicos&f=false
  • Albaigés J. El libro de los nombres de niño y niña: Su origen, historia y significado. 1° edic. España: RBA Libros; 2011. Disponible en: https://books.google.es/books?hl=es&lr=&id=yT_ODwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT2&dq=el+libro+de+los+nombres&ots=wFTuXPxldU&sig=xwFonkuXynLGsp9PKJ1h6PUuztU#v=onepage&q=el%20libro%20de%20los%20nombres&f=false

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.