Girl name · Japanese
Nana
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: sevenNana is a girl's name that comes from Japanese and means "seven". It is used in Japanese.
- Meaning
- Seven
- Origin
- Japanese
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #7045 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Nana
As a girl's name, Nana comes from Japanese and means "seven". It is used in Japanese.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
How to write Nana in Japanese
In hiragana, Nana is なな. In kanji it can be written several ways, and each choice gives the name its own meaning. These are spellings used for the name, with what each kanji means.
| Kanji | Reading | What the kanji mean |
|---|---|---|
| 七 | なな | 七 seven |
| 奈々 | なな | 奈 used for its sound (na) |
| 奈奈 | なな | 奈 used for its sound (na) + 奈 used for its sound (na) |
Kanji and readings from the JMnedict and KANJIDIC2 dictionaries (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0), checked by our editors.
Nana on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Nana on 3 lists.
“奈々: the mark 々 repeats 奈. In English, Nana also means grandma”
From Anime girl names, cute anime girl names
“A top US pick; also Akan for grandparent. In Hindi and Urdu, nana means mother's father”
From Grandma names, classic grandma names
“Short, sweet and easy for little kids to say”
From Banana names, cute banana names
How popular is Nana?
- US rank in 2025
- #7,045
- 16 babies, 10 per million girls
- Best rank
- #613 in 1881
- Most babies: 47 in 2000
- Babies since 1881
- At least 2,530
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 37 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 38 per million |
| 1900s | 18 per million |
| 1910s | 21 per million |
| 1920s | 17 per million |
| 1930s | 17 per million |
| 1940s | 14 per million |
| 1950s | 9 per million |
| 1960s | 6 per million |
| 1970s | 11 per million |
| 1980s | 11 per million |
| 1990s | 15 per million |
| 2000s | 19 per million |
| 2010s | 13 per million |
| 2020s | 11 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,129 | #5,294 | #4,968 | #9,561 | #4,972 | #9,374 | #7,198 | #5,682 | #7,853 | #7,045 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Nana
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- NanamiSeven seas (depends on characters) (Japanese, girl)
Names spelled like Nana
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Middle names for Nana
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Japanese
- AiLove; indigo (depends on characters) (Japanese, girl)
- AikoBeloved child (depends on characters) (Japanese, girl)
- AimiLove and beauty, written 愛美 (Japanese, girl)
- AkaneDeep red, madder (Japanese, girl)
- AkariLamplight (depends on characters) (Japanese, girl)
- AkemiBright beauty (Japanese, girl)
- AkiSecond and hope, written 亜希 (Japanese, girl)
- AkikoBright child; autumn child (depends on characters) (Japanese, girl)
- AkiraBright, clear (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
- AmaneHeavenly sound (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
Nana: common questions
What does the name Nana mean?
Nana comes from Japanese and means "seven".
Is Nana a boy or girl name?
Nana is mainly a girl's name. In 2025, 16 girls and 16 boys in the US were named Nana, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Nana come from?
Nana comes from Japanese and means "seven". Today it is used in Japanese.
How do you write Nana in Japanese?
Nana is written なな in hiragana. Kanji spellings include 七 (seven), 奈々 (used for its sound (na)) and 奈奈 (used for its sound (na) + used for its sound (na)). The kanji parents choose decide what the name means.
How popular is the name Nana?
Nana ranked #7,045 in the US in 2025, with 16 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Nana?
Forms of Nana with the same meaning and origin include Nanami (Japanese).
What middle names go with Nana?
Middle names that flow well with Nana include Abigail, Claire, Josephine, Madeline and Patience. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.