Nan
Fact sheet
- Name
- Nan
- Gender
- Girl name
- Syllables
- 1
The first name Nan is a feminine name that is considered a pet form of Ann. Ann itself is a shortened form of Anna, which has its origin in the Ancient Hebrew name Hannah. The translation of the name means 'the graceful', 'the favored', 'the elegant', or in a religious context, 'God has shown mercy'.
What does the name Nan mean?
Nan, a feminine first name, has its roots as a pet form of Ann, which is a short form of the name Anna. This name is derived from the Ancient Hebrew Hannah. The meaning includes terms like 'the graceful', 'the favored', 'the elegant', and in a religious sense, 'God has shown mercy'. The origin is found in Ancient Hebrew, derived from the word channâh (חַנָּה), which stands for 'the grace', 'the graciousness', 'the elegance', 'the charm', and traces back to the root ḥanān (חָנַן), meaning 'to be gracious', 'to show mercy', 'to have compassion', and 'to grant favor'. Additionally, Nan is also used as a short form of Nancy. In the Japanese language, Nan means 'What' or 'Why'. Other variants and pet forms include Anne, Aneli, Anelie, Aneliya, Anelia, Annely, Annele, Annela, and Annelie.
Where does the name Nan come from?
The name Nan has its etymology in Ancient Hebrew and means 'the graceful'. The Ancient Hebrew
How do you pronounce Nan?
Nan is pronounced like 'Nann', similar to the English word for 'Nanny'.
When is the name day of Nan?
The name day for Nan is celebrated on July 26.
Popularity
In Germany, Nan is one of the rarer first names. Currently, it ranks 5,884th on the list of the most common female baby names. The best ranking the name achieved was in 2021, when it placed 5,220th. In the last ten years, Nan has been given as a first name less than 10 times, placing it 8,964th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 10,533rd.
Famous people
- Nan Achnas (Indonesian film director)
- Nan Agle (American children's book author)
- Nan Braunton (British actress)
- Nan Britton (writer)
- Nan Brooks (children's book illustrator)
- Nan Chauncy (British-Australian children's book author)
- Nan Cohen (poet from the USA)
- Nan Fairbrother (English writer)
- Nan Goldin (American photographer)
- Nan Leslie (American film and television actress)
- Nan Lurie (graphic artist and engraver from the USA)
- Nan Marriott-Watson (British character actress)
- Nan Martin (American film and theater actress)
- Nan McDonald (Australian poet and editor)
- Nan Phelps (American folk artist)
- Nan Witcomb (poet)
- Nan Woods (actress from the USA)
- Nan Yu (Chinese actress)
- Nan-jung Cheng (Taiwanese publisher and civil rights activist)
Frequently asked questions about the name Nan
What is the origin of the name Nan?
The name Nan has its roots in Ancient Hebrew and is derived as a pet form of Ann, which in turn comes from Anna. The original meaning includes terms like 'the graceful' and 'the favored'.
What does the name Nan mean?
Nan means 'the graceful' and is associated with terms like 'grace', 'elegance', and 'favor'. The name has a religious connotation stating that 'God has shown mercy'.
How popular is the name Nan?
Nan is common in various cultures, especially in English-speaking regions, but has lost popularity in recent years. It is often used as a pet form for other names.