Hannah
Hannah comes from the Hebrew "Channah," meaning grace, favor, or graciousness. In the Hebrew Bible, Hannah was the mother of Samuel — she was barren for years and prayed at the temple for a child, promising to dedicate him to God's service. Her prayer was answered, and she sang a song of gratitude that became one of the great biblical poems (1 Samuel 2). The Song of Hannah influenced the Magnificat, Mary's song in the New Testament. Hannah was a top-50 American name from 1880 to 1895, declined mid-century, and then had one of the most dramatic revivals in naming history. It re-entered the top 100 in 1986 and climbed to #2 in 2000 — held out of the #1 spot only by Emily. The revival was driven partly by the broader trend toward Old Testament names and partly by the cultural moment of "Hannah Montana" (the Disney series that ran 2006-2011 and made Miley Cyrus a star). I find Hannah has a quiet, biblical dignity — the doubled "nn" gives it softness, and the "ah" ending gives it warmth. The palindrome spelling (same forward and backward) is pleasing. The name is timeless in the most literal sense — it has been used continuously for over 3,000 years. Hannah is a female name of Hebrew origin that means "Grace, favor". Quiet, biblical, and graceful. The name sounds soft. Hannahs tend to be steady. US #2 in 2000. Now top 50. Well-known people named Hannah include Hannah (biblical, mother of Samuel), Hannah Arendt (philosopher), Hannah Montana (fictional), Hannah (fictional, various). Common variations and related forms of Hannah include Anna (Latin form), Anne (French), Channah (Hebrew), Anika (Scandinavian).