Nana: Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Nana – Meaning: in Japanese usage, often the number 'seven' (七); the name is independently used across other cultures with unrelated meanings – Origin: multiple independent origins (Japanese, also Georgian/Armenian, Akan/Ghanaian, and an unrelated English nickname for 'grandmother') – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: NAH-nah


Nana is a multiple independent origins (Japanese, also Georgian/Armenian, Akan/Ghanaian, and an unrelated English nickname for 'grandmother') girl's name meaning “in Japanese usage, often the number 'seven' (七); the name is independently used across other cultures with unrelated meanings”. It appears in our list of 175+ African Baby Girl Names With Deep Roots and Joyful Sounds.

Meaning & Origin of Nana

Meaning: In Japanese usage, often the number 'seven' (七); the name is independently used across other cultures with unrelated meanings.

Origin: multiple independent origins (Japanese, also Georgian/Armenian, Akan/Ghanaian, and an unrelated English nickname for 'grandmother').

A common claim: Nana is often said to simply mean 'seven' in Japanese. Actually: That's true only for the Japanese strand of the name; Nana is independently used across many other cultures with unrelated meanings, so 'seven' isn't a universal meaning.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Nana

Phonetic: NAH-nah   IPA: /ˈnɑːnə/

Popularity of Nana

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1881–2024.

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