Nana

See also: Appendix:Variations of "nana"

English

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnænə/
• Rhymes: -ænə

Proper noun

Nana

1. (endearing) Alternative letter-case form of nana; one's grandmother.
2. (informal, originally UK) A governess.

Etymology 2

Proper noun

Nana

1. A female given name from Japanese.

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Νάνα (Nána).

Proper noun

Nana

1. (Greek mythology) A demigoddess, the daughter of Sangarius and mother of Attis.

Etymology 4

Apparently ultimately from Sumerian 𒀭𒈾𒈾𒀀 (na-na-a) (where the first symbol, 𒀭, is a determinative meaning goddess and has no reading).

Proper noun

Nana

1. (mythology) An ancient goddess of Eastern Iran, standing at the top of many worshipping cultures' pantheons.

Etymology 5

Not certain whether directly derived from Armenian Նանե (Nane), or by association with the ancient Iranian goddess of the same name.

Proper noun

Nana

1. (mythology) Alternative form of Nane (“Armenian mother-goddess and equivalent of Athena”).

Anagrams

• A.A.N.N., Anna, anan, anna, naan

Cebuano

Alternative forms

• Na-na
• Na-Na

Etymology

A diminutive of Ana. From baby talk.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: Na‧na

Noun

Nana

1. a diminutive of the female given names Ana or Belina

Danish

Etymology

Baby talk form of several names containing the letters a and n (Anne, Johanne, etc). In some cases from Émile Zola's novel Nana (1880). Compare also Nanna.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈnana]

Proper noun

Nana c

1. a female given name

Finnish

Etymology

Baby talk form of several names containing the letters a and n (Anna, Johanna, etc). In some cases from Émile Zola's novel Nana (1880).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɑnɑ/, [ˈnɑ̝nɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑnɑ
• Syllabification^(key): Na‧na
• Hyphenation^(key): Na‧na

Proper noun

Nana

1. a female given name

Declension

Inflection of Nana (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		Nana	Nanat
genitive		Nanan	Nanojen
partitive		Nanaa	Nanoja
illative		Nanaan	Nanoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		Nana	Nanat
accusative	nom.	Nana	Nanat
	gen.	Nanan
genitive		Nanan	Nanojen Nanain rare
partitive		Nanaa	Nanoja
inessive		Nanassa	Nanoissa
elative		Nanasta	Nanoista
illative		Nanaan	Nanoihin
adessive		Nanalla	Nanoilla
ablative		Nanalta	Nanoilta
allative		Nanalle	Nanoille
essive		Nanana	Nanoina
translative		Nanaksi	Nanoiksi
abessive		Nanatta	Nanoitta
instructive		—	Nanoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of Nana (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Nanani Nanani accusative nom. Nanani Nanani gen. Nanani genitive Nanani Nanojeni Nanaini rare partitive Nanaani Nanojani inessive Nanassani Nanoissani elative Nanastani Nanoistani illative Nanaani Nanoihini adessive Nanallani Nanoillani ablative Nanaltani Nanoiltani allative Nanalleni Nanoilleni essive Nananani Nanoinani translative Nanakseni Nanoikseni abessive Nanattani Nanoittani instructive — — comitative — Nanoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Nanasi Nanasi accusative nom. Nanasi Nanasi gen. Nanasi genitive Nanasi Nanojesi Nanaisi rare partitive Nanaasi Nanojasi inessive Nanassasi Nanoissasi elative Nanastasi Nanoistasi illative Nanaasi Nanoihisi adessive Nanallasi Nanoillasi ablative Nanaltasi Nanoiltasi allative Nanallesi Nanoillesi essive Nananasi Nanoinasi translative Nanaksesi Nanoiksesi abessive Nanattasi Nanoittasi instructive — — comitative — Nanoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Nanamme Nanamme accusative nom. Nanamme Nanamme gen. Nanamme genitive Nanamme Nanojemme Nanaimme rare partitive Nanaamme Nanojamme inessive Nanassamme Nanoissamme elative Nanastamme Nanoistamme illative Nanaamme Nanoihimme adessive Nanallamme Nanoillamme ablative Nanaltamme Nanoiltamme allative Nanallemme Nanoillemme essive Nananamme Nanoinamme translative Nanaksemme Nanoiksemme abessive Nanattamme Nanoittamme instructive — — comitative — Nanoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Nananne Nananne accusative nom. Nananne Nananne gen. Nananne genitive Nananne Nanojenne Nanainne rare partitive Nanaanne Nanojanne inessive Nanassanne Nanoissanne elative Nanastanne Nanoistanne illative Nanaanne Nanoihinne adessive Nanallanne Nanoillanne ablative Nanaltanne Nanoiltanne allative Nanallenne Nanoillenne essive Nanananne Nanoinanne translative Nanaksenne Nanoiksenne abessive Nanattanne Nanoittanne instructive — — comitative — Nanoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative Nanansa Nanansa accusative nom. Nanansa Nanansa gen. Nanansa genitive Nanansa Nanojensa Nanainsa rare partitive Nanaansa Nanojaan Nanojansa inessive Nanassaan Nanassansa Nanoissaan Nanoissansa elative Nanastaan Nanastansa Nanoistaan Nanoistansa illative Nanaansa Nanoihinsa adessive Nanallaan Nanallansa Nanoillaan Nanoillansa ablative Nanaltaan Nanaltansa Nanoiltaan Nanoiltansa allative Nanalleen Nanallensa Nanoilleen Nanoillensa essive Nananaan Nananansa Nanoinaan Nanoinansa translative Nanakseen Nanaksensa Nanoikseen Nanoiksensa abessive Nanattaan Nanattansa Nanoittaan Nanoittansa instructive — — comitative — Nanoineen Nanoinensa

Statistics

• Nana is the 645^th (tied with 1 other name) most common female given name in Finland, belonging to 417 female individuals (and as a middle name to 67 more), and also belongs to 11 male individuals (and as a middle name to 30 more, making it more common as a middle name), according to August 2025 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland.

Anagrams

• Anna, anna, naan

Japanese

Romanization

Nana

1. Rōmaji transcription of なな

Sranan Tongo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nana/, [na̠na̠], [nɑ̟nɑ̟]

Proper noun

Nana

1. apheretic form of Anana (“supreme being”)