Nana
Meaning
chief, king, queen, or elder; an honorific and given name across Akan society, also used for "grandparent"
The story
Nana carries several real histories that should not be blended into one universal meaning. In Akan communities it is a title for a monarch or elder, used for women and men, and it also functions as a personal name. Elsewhere Nana can be a Greek diminutive of Ioanna, a Georgian name, or a Japanese name whose meaning depends on the chosen kanji. English family speech also uses nana for a grandmother, a separate word that can shape how the name sounds without defining every bearer. The American curve remains low across the twentieth century, rises slightly in the 2000s and 2010s, and eases in the 2020s. That small line cannot measure the name’s standing in Ghana, Greece, Georgia, or Japan. For Nana, asking the person or family is not a footnote; it is the only reliable way to choose the right story.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Nana peaked in the 2000s and the 2010s in nearly equal measure.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
539 people · the #12,688 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 333,333 · median age 32
Among people named Nana living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 1980s than in any other decade.
The census also counted 20 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
The Nana deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Nana truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Nana fits with your family’s names and surname.
Where Nana travels
Japanese Brazilian · seven, or vegetables/greens (an affectionate name)
Keep exploring
Akan and Ghanaian baby names · Japanese Brazilian baby names · Short names · Gender-neutral names
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