Anya is a cosmopolitan and catchy first name. Esteemed in cultures throughout the world, Anya possesses a level of femininity and refinement that gives it a solid place in popular culture. Anya Sofia Corazon is the name of a Marvel Comics superheroine, and Anya Jenkins is an important character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Keep reading to learn more about this baby name.
Meaning of the name Anya:
Hebrew, Russian: Grace
Greek: Resurrection
Irish: Radiance
Kurdish: Strength, power
Hungarian: Mother
Igbo: Eye, sight
Berber: Rhythm, melody
Origin of the name Anya:
Anya is an international baby name with several possible etymologies. In Russian, Anya is a diminutive of the Hebrew name Anna (meaning “grace”). Anya is also a diminutive of the Anastasiya (a variation of the Greek give name Anastasia). In this context, Anya means “resurrection.”
Anya has various meanings in other cultures. In the Irish language, Anya is an anglicized version of the traditional name Áine (meaning “radiance”). Conventionally, Irish girls received this name in honor of the Celtic goddess Áine (the deity of wealth and summertime). In Kurdish languages, the word Anya means “strength” or “power.” And in Hungarian, Anya is the most common word for “mother.”
On the African continent, Anya has additional meanings. In the Igbo language of Nigeria, Anya is a feminine given name that means “eye” or “sight.” Some experts interpret the meaning as referencing the esoteric or inner eye. And in the Berber languages of North Africa, Anya is the word for “rhythm” or “melody.”
Symbolism of the name Anya:
Anya is a Russian diminutive of Anna (meaning “grace”). Traditional symbols of grace include the dove and the ocean waves. Anya is also a nickname for Anastasiya (meaning “resurrection”). Symbols for the resurrection include the ankh and the fleur-de-lis. In Igbo, Anya means “eye” or “sight,” and the symbol of the name is the forehead dot that represents the third eye. And in the Irish language, Anya is a variation of the goddess Áine. As the goddess of summer, the symbol of Áine is the sun.
Style of the name Anya:
Traditional
Gender of the name Anya:
Anya is a girl's name.
Pronunciation of the name Anya:
AHN-yah
Number of syllables in the name Anya:
Two
Emotion evoked from the name Anya:
The name Anya evokes feelings of amicability and ambition.
Alternative spellings for the name Anya:
- Anyah
- Ania
- Anja
Nicknames for the name Anya:
- Ann
- Aya
- Nya
- Yaya
- Annie
Popularity of the name Anya:
According to the Social Security Administration index, Anya was the 656th most popular baby name for girls in 2020. Anya has ranked among the top 1,000 baby names for girls since the late 1990s.
Related names for the name Anya:
Great middle names for Anya and their meanings:
- Abilene (meadow)
- Clementine (mercy)
- Clover (meadow flower, key, adherent)
- Danika (morning star)
- Imogen (maiden, girl)
- Luna (moon)
- Meredith (great ruler)
- Mirabel (wonderful)
- Sofia (wisdom)
- Verity (truth)
Famous people with the name Anya:
- Anya Ayoung-Chee (television personality)
- Anya Sun Corke (chess grandmaster)
- Anya Susannah Hindmarch (fashion designer)
- Anya Kanani Kop (model)
- Anya Marina Kroth (singer)
- Anya Genna Monzikova (model)
- Anya Seton (novelist)
- Anya Josephine Marie Taylor-Joy (actress)
- Anya Teixeira (photojournalist)
Anya in popular culture:
- Anya (important character in The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov)
- Anya Sofia Corazon (Marvel Comics superheroine)
- Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins (character on television's Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
- Anya Smith (alias of Princess Ann in the film Roman Holiday)