Nana is a unisex name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Nana means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Nana across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Nana has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Nana is a unisex name of African (Akan) origin meaning “king, grandmother, ancestor”. A Ghanaian title of honor, also a Japanese name meaning seven.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 3,396 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,722 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 3 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 13 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Nana per year, England & Wales (1996 to 2025). England & Wales peaked in 2025 (104/yr) · United States peaked in 2000 (70/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2001 (6/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2024 (3/yr).
Nana is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2000, when it ranked #3,841 nationally (given to 108 babies that year).
Nina · Nannie · Nona · Nan · Nena · Nanie · Noni · Nino
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