Ann

Did you know?

A few things about Ann you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Ann

Ann Radcliffe

English author and pioneer of the Gothic novel (1764–1823)

Choose Ann and your child shares a first name with Ann Radcliffe, an English author and pioneer of the Gothic novel. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Ann, like who?” Ann Radcliffe's Wikipedia article is available in 61 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Ann Radcliffe on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 7,143 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Ann, 225 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ann would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryAnn has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Anns, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1936, when it ranked #28. Today it's #1,076, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📉Then vs nowAnn was 2.1× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 3,326 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 7,143.
• 🚀TrendAnn has climbed 29 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #1,076. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedAnn is most popular in Mississippi, where it ranks #163, followed by Alabama (#177) and South Carolina (#519). It's in the top 1,000 in 9 states.
• 💬MeaningAnn is an English form of Anna, which means “grace”. Our records link it to English, Hebrew and Scottish roots.

About the name Ann

Ann is a girl name of English, Hebrew and Scottish origin meaning “grace”. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with A and ending in “-ann”. US birth records list Ann for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1936, when it ranked #28 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #1,076, with 225 babies.

Origin:English namesHebrew namesScottish names