Sophia Girl
soh-FEE-uh
“wisdom” · Greek
#5
Nana
UnisexAkan· “Akan title for elders and rulers”
- Meaning
- Akan title for elders and rulers
- Origin
- Akan
- Pronunciation
- NAH-nuh
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #7,045
- US babies 2025
- 16
- Best rank
- #613 (1881)
- Peak year
- 2000
Meaning and origin of Nana
Nana is an Akan name that is usually said to mean “Akan title for elders and rulers”.
Nana has several independent sources. In the Akan culture of Ghana it is an honorific title for chiefs, queen mothers and respected elders, and it is also given as a personal name to boys and girls. In Georgian, Nana is a traditional girls' name, and in Japanese it can be written with characters meaning seven or greens. English speakers know nana as a word for grandmother, which gives the name a warm but sometimes confusing sound. It is said NAH-nuh. Émile Zola's novel Nana used it as the name of its heroine, a French pet form of Anne.
Popularity over time
Nana first appears in US Social Security records in 1881. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 4 different years, starting in 1881. Its best national rank was #613 in 1881, and the most babies received it in 2000, when 47 were named Nana. In 2025, 16 babies were named Nana, and it ranked #7,045 nationally. That is 27% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #2,552 in 1920, #2,230 in 1950, #4,456 in 1980, #3,008 in 2000, #5,207 in 2010, and #7,045 in 2025. Of the 2,530 US girls named Nana since records began, 14% were born in the 2000s, its biggest decade. The 1990s come next, with 269 babies. Since 2010, 324 more have been named Nana.
Other babies' names that peaked around the same time include Thai, Pacey, Rees, Devine, and Raja.
Gender, sound and spelling
Nana is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 52% of US babies named Nana were girls and 48% were boys.
Nana is usually pronounced NAH-nuh, with two syllables. It has four letters, starts with N and ends in “-na”.
Middle names for Nana
A few middle names that flow with Nana: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Nana
Similar names
Dayna Girl
DAY-nuh
“variant of Dana” · English
#6,604
Seanna Girl
SHAW-nuh
“feminine of Sean, "God is gracious"” · Irish
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Riana Girl
ree-AN-uh
“possibly short for Briana or Adriana” · American (modern coinage)
#5,199
Shana Girl
SHAH-nuh
“variant of Shayna, "beautiful"” · Yiddish
#5,213
Mena Girl
MEE-nuh
“variant of Mina” · German
#6,257
Gianna Girl
jee-AH-nuh
“God is gracious” · Italian
#33
Luna Girl
LOO-nuh
“moon” · Latin
#27
Ana Girl
AH-nuh
“grace, favor (form of Anna)” · Spanish
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Jenna Girl
JEN-uh
“variant of Jennifer, 'fair one'” · English
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Kiyana Girl
kee-AH-nuh
“modern name, origin uncertain” · American (modern coinage)
#5,162
Nina Girl
NEE-nuh
“short form of names like Antonina” · Russian
#324
Breanna Girl
bree-AN-uh
“feminine form of Brian” · Irish
#2,548
Lists that include Nana
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nana mean?
Nana is an Akan name that is usually said to mean “Akan title for elders and rulers”.
What is the origin of the name Nana?
Nana has Akan roots. Nana has several independent sources.
Is Nana a popular name?
Not especially. Nana ranked #7,045 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Nana a boy or girl name?
Nana is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 52% of US babies named Nana were girls and 48% were boys.
How do you pronounce Nana?
Nana is usually pronounced NAH-nuh. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings