ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hannah

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˈhænə// han·nah

n. a common name for a girl or woman. It is famous for being a palindrome, which means it is spelled the same way forward and backward.

n. a female given name of Hebrew origin, meaning 'grace' or 'favour'. It is a common anthroponym in English-speaking cultures and is notable for its palindromic structure.


SIMPLE

Hannah is my best friend from school.

CONTEXTUAL

The teacher called Hannah to the front of the room to collect her award for the science fair.

COMPLEX

While the name Hannah has fluctuated in popularity over the decades, it remains a perennial favourite due to its classic sound and elegant, symmetrical spelling.

Origin

From previous romanizations of Hebrew חַנָּה (Ḥannâ), chiefly for the mother of Samuel, from חַנָּה (ḥannâ, “grace, gracious, graced with child”). As a Wren with the Royal Marines, after Hannah Snell (1723–1792) who disguised herself as a man to serve in the British military. Doublet of Ann, Anne, Anna, and Ana.

Usage

As a proper noun, it is almost always capitalised.

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