Nana is a name of Akan origin, meaning “chief, elder; grandparent”, Ghanaian honorific, also used as a given name. In Ghana Nana is an honorific for kings, chiefs and grandparents, and is often borne as part of a person's name.

Nana

Gender: Unisex
Say it: NAH-na
Origin: Akan
UK rank, 2025: #669 for boys
US rank, 2025: #6,837 for girls

Nana is a name of Akan origin, meaning “chief, elder; grandparent”. In 2025 it ranked 669th for boys in the UK (60 babies) and 6,837th for girls in the US (16 babies).

What does Nana mean?

Akan: Ghanaian honorific, also used as a given name

“chief, elder; grandparent”

In Ghana Nana is an honorific for kings, chiefs and grandparents, and is often borne as part of a person's name.

Is Nana a girl's or a boy's name?

In recent years, Nana has been given to both girls and boys. In 2025, it was given to 44 girls and 60 boys in the UK and 16 girls and 16 boys in the US.

How popular is Nana in the UK?

Rank in 2025: 669th among boys
Babies in 2025: 60 about 1 in 5,000 boys
Five-year trend: Rising fast up 149% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1% chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 60 boys in the UK were named Nana, making it the 669th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 1,206th. 44 girls were also named Nana in 2025 (865th for girls).

It has been given to more boys each year for the last 4 years. 2025 had the most boys named Nana of any year since the records began in 1996.

Half of all the boys named Nana in the UK since 1996 were born between 2005 and 2020. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.

In 2025, 42% of the babies named Nana in the UK were girls.

Among boys in 2025, it was 621st in England and Wales.

1996Busiest: 60 in 20252025

Nana in the UK, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	60	#669
2024	52	#738
2023	40	#874
2022	39	#883
2021	24	#1,227
2020	24	#1,206
2019	20	#1,351
2018	17	#1,555
2017	31	#1,045
2016	21	#1,347
2015	29	#1,064
2014	29	#1,058
2013	27	#1,088
2012	38	#889
2011	33	#952
2010	38	#848
2009	32	#937
2008	29	#997
2007	41	#753
2006	43	#695
2005	41	#707
2004	43	#634
2003	26	#862
2002	30	#707
2001	13	#1,209
2000	19	#917
1999	11	#1,267
1998	14	#1,062
1997	15	#1,025
1996	27	#645

How popular is Nana in the US?

Rank in 2025: 6,837th among girls
Babies in 2025: 16 about 1 in 100,000 girls
Five-year trend: Steady down 19% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1% chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 16 girls in the US were named Nana, making it the 6,837th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 4,878th. Its busiest year was 2000, with 47 girls. It first appears in the records in 1881. 16 boys were also named Nana in 2025 (5,606th for boys).

Half of all the girls named Nana in the US since 1880 were born between 1934 and 2000, the years shaded on the chart below.

Girls were 83% of the babies named Nana in the US in 1977, and 50% in 2025.

1881Busiest: 47 in 20002025

Nana in the US, year by year

Year	Girls	Rank
2025	16	#6,837
2024	14	#7,590
2023	22	#5,544
2022	16	#6,979
2021	11	#8,973
2020	26	#4,878
2019	11	#9,106
2018	27	#4,886
2017	25	#5,189
2016	21	#5,983
2015	22	#5,831
2014	20	#6,205
2013	22	#5,831
2012	16	#7,452
2011	28	#4,913
2010	27	#5,106
2009	26	#5,377
2008	31	#4,760
2007	33	#4,474
2006	39	#3,853
2005	26	#4,954
2004	41	#3,562
2003	27	#4,663
2002	36	#3,650
2001	39	#3,413
2000	47	#2,970
1999	34	#3,566
1998	25	#4,363
1997	33	#3,445
1996	21	#4,734
1995	29	#3,665
1994	31	#3,531
1993	26	#3,982
1992	24	#4,229
1991	18	#5,175
1990	28	#3,709
1989	37	#2,925
1988	24	#3,800
1987	17	#4,656
1986	25	#3,457
1985	13	#5,346
1984	18	#4,165
1983	14	#4,883
1982	11	#5,909
1981	16	#4,531
1980	17	#4,326
1979	16	#4,419
1978	17	#4,079
1977	25	#3,082
1976	16	#3,961
1975	16	#3,948
1974	20	#3,313
1973	11	#4,869
1972	23	#2,903
1971	16	#3,787
1970	10	#5,060
1969	12	#4,197
1968	8	#5,146
1967	9	#4,624
1966	11	#3,958
1965	7	#5,288
1964	15	#3,378
1963	6	#5,890
1962	11	#4,010
1961	16	#3,188
1960	13	#3,511
1959	10	#4,030
1958	17	#2,861
1957	16	#2,925
1956	23	#2,320
1955	17	#2,724
1954	11	#3,489
1953	19	#2,430
1952	17	#2,580
1951	22	#2,115
1950	20	#2,184
1949	29	#1,766
1948	29	#1,738
1947	20	#2,199
1946	15	#2,481
1945	9	#3,131
1944	23	#1,741
1943	25	#1,702
1942	16	#2,213
1941	17	#2,018
1940	19	#1,845
1939	23	#1,585
1938	18	#1,873
1937	20	#1,735
1936	16	#1,950
1935	27	#1,418
1934	20	#1,697
1933	10	#2,687
1932	16	#2,036
1931	15	#2,104
1930	17	#2,022
1929	17	#2,010
1928	18	#2,022
1927	16	#2,255
1926	22	#1,829
1925	14	#2,488
1924	26	#1,679
1923	25	#1,672
1922	18	#2,109
1921	35	#1,341
1920	14	#2,463
1919	24	#1,649
1918	27	#1,537
1917	22	#1,652
1916	28	#1,380
1915	20	#1,672
1914	9	#2,433
1913	13	#1,670
1912	14	#1,477
1911	8	#1,792
1910	9	#1,634
1909	5	#2,208
1908	0	–
1907	7	#1,638
1906	0	–
1905	6	#1,695
1904	7	#1,485
1903	8	#1,318
1902	8	#1,320
1901	5	#1,678
1900	7	#1,560
1899	7	#1,277
1898	13	#963
1897	5	#1,554
1896	9	#1,122
1895	11	#986
1894	10	#998
1893	9	#1,023
1892	7	#1,171
1891	7	#1,093
1890	7	#1,099
1889	10	#839
1888	8	#959
1887	0	–
1886	6	#993
1885	5	#1,047
1884	6	#930
1883	5	#920
1882	0	–
1881	9	#582

Names like Nana

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Luca, Noah, Ezra, Nico, Ali, Caleb, Brody, Marley, Hunter, Cooper, Logan, Lucas

Names related to Nana

Naina, Nanw, Nani, Nainoa, Nain, Niyana, Nyana, Niana, Nyanna

More Akan names

Mansa, Ashanti, Kofi, Kwame, Ohemaa, Akosua, Obrempong, Ama, Kwabena, Akua, Kwaku, Nhyira, Abena, Kwadwo, Adom, Yaa

Every Akan name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Nana: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/nana, updated 20 October 2026.