With more than 226,000 people who worn it in 2025, this first name is still among the 800 more attributed in France. Between spiritual heritage, historical resonance and universal charm, it crosses the centuries without losing its strength.
A first name rich in history and symbols
Coming from Hebrew and meaning “thanks”, Anne is experiencing early popularity in Western Europe. Very present from the High Middle Ages until the beginning of the 19th century, it was permanently imposed in French society to the point of ranking in the top 20 of the 1960s to 1973. Since the early 2000s, its use has been bending, partly competed by the dazzling rise of its variant Anna. However, there remains a solid classic, transmitted from generation to generation.
Striking figures through the ages
In history, several queens and princesses have carried this first name. Anne of Austria, wife of Louis XIII, reigned as a regent of France from 1643 to 1651, before the takeover of her son Louis XIV. On the other side of the English Channel, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henri VIII, remains an emblematic figure of England in the 16th century. Further east, Anna Ivanovna marked Russia as an imperative in the 18th century.
On the religious level, Saint Anne occupies a very special place: mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus, she is the patron saint of Brittany. His party is celebrated every July 26.
A strong cultural and spiritual anchoring
Even before the Christian era, the Celts honored the goddess Ana, a figure of fertility and maternal power. Progressive assimilation to Saint Anne has nourished a mystical imagination around this first name. In the Breton tradition, it is even said that the mother of the Virgin was born in Brittany before ending her life on her native land.
In terms of characterology, this first name is associated with knowledge, sagacity, spirituality and a certain originality. So many qualities that explain why he continues to seduce families despite a statistical decline.
A place of choice in the 20th century
If Marie, Jeanne and Françoise occupy the podium of the most given female names of the last century, Anne climbs proudly in fourth row. A classification which illustrates its force of attraction through several generations. Unknown fact: this first name, today strictly feminine, was also attributed to the masculine, just like Camille or Marie.