חַנָּה
Channah / Hannah
“Grace/favor”
Hannah (חַנָּה, Channah) is a Hebrew girl's name meaning “grace/favor,” pronounced “khan-NAH.” From the Hebrew root ח-נ-ן (chet-nun-nun) meaning 'grace, favor, compassion.' The name חַנָּה (Channah) means 'grace' or 'one who has been graced/favored.' The same root gives us 'chen' (grace/charm), 'chanun' (gracious), and 'techinnah' (supplication).
| Hebrew | חַנָּה |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | Channah |
| English Name | Hannah |
| Meaning | Grace/favor |
| Pronunciation | khan-NAH |
| Gender | Girl |
| Category | Female Biblical Names |
| Variants | Channah, Hanna, Anna, Anya, Chanah, Annabel |
| Key Scripture | 1 Samuel 1:27-28 |
Hannah's prayer changed everything — not just for herself, but for the entire nation of Israel. Year after year, she endured the agony of barrenness while her husband's other wife Peninnah mocked her relentlessly. At the tabernacle in Shiloh, Hannah's silent, tear-soaked prayer was so intense that the priest Eli mistook her for a drunk woman. But God heard her, and the son she bore — Samuel — became the prophet who would anoint Israel's first two kings. The Talmud derives the fundamental laws of Jewish prayer from Hannah's example: pray silently, move your lips, pray from the depths of your heart. Her name means 'grace,' and through her anguish, grace was poured out on an entire nation.
Key Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:27-28
“I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.”
What Does Hannah Mean in Hebrew?
From the root ח-נ-ן (chet-nun-nun) meaning 'to be gracious, to show favor.' The form חַנָּה (Channah) is a feminine adjective/name meaning 'grace' or 'graced one.' Related words include חֵן (chen, 'grace/favor'), חָנוּן (chanun, 'gracious' — one of God's attributes), and the name Yochanan/John ('YHWH is gracious').
Hannah in the Bible
Hannah's story (1 Samuel 1-2) is one of the most emotionally powerful narratives in Scripture. Her barrenness, her fervent prayer, and her willingness to dedicate her son to God's service resulted in Samuel — the prophet who would reshape Israel. Her prayer of thanksgiving (1 Samuel 2:1-10) is a literary masterpiece that inspired Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1.
Cultural Context & Modern Usage
The Talmud (Berakhot 31a) derives key laws of the Amidah prayer from Hannah: pray standing, pray from the heart, move the lips but don't raise the voice, and don't pray while intoxicated. She is thus considered the 'mother of prayer' in Jewish tradition. Her story is read on Rosh Hashanah, connecting divine remembrance to the Jewish New Year.
Hannah has been a perennial top-10 girls' name in the United States and UK. Its derivative forms — Anna, Anne, Annie, Anya — are among the most common female names worldwide. The name's warmth, biblical depth, and universal accessibility make it one of the most beloved names in history.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hannah
What does Hannah mean in Hebrew?
Hannah (חַנָּה, Channah) means “Grace/favor” in Hebrew. From the Hebrew root ח-נ-ן (chet-nun-nun) meaning 'grace, favor, compassion.' The name חַנָּה (Channah) means 'grace' or 'one who has been graced/favored.' The same root gives us 'chen' (grace/charm), 'chanun' (gracious), and 'techinnah' (supplication).
How do you pronounce Hannah in Hebrew?
The Hebrew pronunciation of Hannah is “khan-NAH.” The name is written חַנָּה in Hebrew script.
What does Hannah mean in Hebrew?
Hannah (חַנָּה, Channah) means 'grace' or 'favor' in Hebrew, from the root ח-נ-ן (chet-nun-nun). The same root gives us 'chen' (grace), 'chanun' (gracious — an attribute of God), and the name John/Yochanan ('YHWH is gracious'). The name beautifully captures the grace that defined Hannah's story — unmerited divine favor in response to desperate faith.
Why is Hannah's prayer so important in Judaism?
The Talmud derives the fundamental laws of Jewish prayer from Hannah's example in 1 Samuel 1. From her, we learn to: pray silently (she prayed in her heart), move the lips while praying, stand during prayer, and not pray while intoxicated (Eli's mistaken accusation). Her model of heartfelt, personal prayer became the template for the Amidah, the central prayer of Jewish liturgy.
Is Hannah the same as Anna?
Yes — Anna is the Greek/Latin form of the Hebrew Hannah (חַנָּה). The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (Septuagint) rendered Channah as Anna, and from there it spread into dozens of European variants: Anne, Annie, Anya, Annabel, Anita, Nancy, and many more. All these names trace back to the Hebrew 'grace.'
Sources & Further Study
Related Hebrew Words
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Explore other names in the Female Biblical Names collection
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