Name day
Anna: Name Day and Patron Saint
Anna keeps the name day on 25 July, or 7 August on the Old Calendar: the feast of St Anna, mother of the Mother of God.
- Patron saint
- St Anna, mother of the Mother of God
- New Calendar
- 25 July
- Old Calendar
- 7 August
- Next name day
- 25 July 2027 (New Calendar) · 7 August 2027 (Old Calendar)
- In the feast calendar
- The feasts of July · The feasts of August
The patron saint: St Anna, mother of the Mother of God
Kept on 25 July, or 7 August on the Old Calendar · Dormition of Righteous Anna
Joachim, of the tribe of Judah and the house of David, and Anna, daughter of the priest Matthan, lived at Nazareth in love and devotion, but they were childless into old age and bore the scorn of neighbors, since childlessness was counted a disgrace. They never grumbled, but prayed. At a great feast the priest refused Joachim’s offering as unworthy; grieved, he went into the wilderness to fast and pray for forty days, while Anna wept and prayed at home, vowing to give her child to God. An angel announced to each of them that a daughter would be born through whom salvation would come to the whole world, and Anna conceived the Virgin Mary. They brought her to the Temple at three. Orthodox Christians honor them as the grandparents of Christ and pray to them especially for the gift of children and for a faithful, happy marriage.
What the faithful pray for
- the gift of a child for childless spouses
- a happy conception and a safe birth
- love and faithfulness in marriage
- patience and trust in God in long waiting
- the raising of children in faith
- grandparents and the elderly
Protection
- from despair in childlessness
- from the reproach and shame of others
- married love from bitterness
- the family
Miracles
- After long years of childlessness, an angel announced to Joachim in the wilderness and to Anna in her garden that their prayers were heard, and Anna conceived the Most Holy Theotokos. (source)
- The Church sings that Anna is ‘freed from the bonds of barrenness’ — the basis for childless couples’ prayers to them. (source)
Other saints named Anna
Sts Joachim and Anna
Kept on 9 September, or 22 September on the Old Calendar · Synaxis of Sts Joachim and Anna (day after the Nativity of the Theotokos)
Joachim, of the tribe of Judah and the house of David, and Anna, daughter of the priest Matthan, lived at Nazareth in love and devotion, but they were childless into old age and bore the scorn of neighbors, since childlessness was counted a disgrace. They never grumbled, but prayed. At a great feast the priest refused Joachim’s offering as unworthy; grieved, he went into the wilderness to fast and pray for forty days, while Anna wept and prayed at home, vowing to give her child to God. An angel announced to each of them that a daughter would be born through whom salvation would come to the whole world, and Anna conceived the Virgin Mary. They brought her to the Temple at three. Orthodox Christians honor them as the grandparents of Christ and pray to them especially for the gift of children and for a faithful, happy marriage.
What the faithful pray for
- the gift of a child for childless spouses
- a happy conception and a safe birth
- love and faithfulness in marriage
- patience and trust in God in long waiting
- the raising of children in faith
- grandparents and the elderly
Protection
- from despair in childlessness
- from the reproach and shame of others
- married love from bitterness
- the family
Miracles
- After long years of childlessness, an angel announced to Joachim in the wilderness and to Anna in her garden that their prayers were heard, and Anna conceived the Most Holy Theotokos. (source)
- The Church sings that Anna is ‘freed from the bonds of barrenness’ — the basis for childless couples’ prayers to them. (source)
Anna in other languages
| Language | The name | Short forms |
|---|---|---|
| English | Anna, Ann, Anne, Hannah, Hanna, Ana, Anya | Annie, Nancy, Nan, Nanette, Annette, Anita |
| Greek | Άννα, Anna | Αννούλα, Αννίτα, Annoula, Annita |
| Russian | Анна, Anna | Аня, Анечка, Нюра, Анюта, Нюша, Anya, Ania, Anechka, Nyura, Anyuta, Nyusha |
| Ukrainian | Ганна, Анна, Hanna | Ганнуся, Hannusia |
| Bulgarian | Анна, Ана | |
| Serbian | Ана, Ana | |
| Romanian | Ana | Anuța |
| Georgian | ანა, Ana | |
| Arabic | حنة, Hanneh, Hanna | |
| Spanish | Ana | |
| Italian | Anna | |
| French | Anne | |
| Polish | Anna |
An icon for Anna
We don't carry an icon of St Anna, mother of the Mother of God yet. Ask for it below, and we will write to you when it is in.
Closest to it
Folding diptychChrist (Zvenigorod Saviour) & Vladimir Mother of God
Also prayed to for mothers$99$69
Folding diptychRoyal Passion-Bearers (Romanov family) & Feodorovskaya Mother of God
Also prayed to for childbirth and expectant mothers$99$69
For every name: the Guardian Angel, given at baptism
Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you: Consecration, $49.
A name-day gift for Anna
Name-Day Gift Set $213$149
A patron saint's folding diptych chosen by first name, a stainless steel crucifix and a prayer rope, in a gift box with a card giving the saint's life and feast day.
The St Nicholas the Wonderworker & Guardian Angel Folding Diptych is chosen, for the Guardian Angel every Orthodox Christian receives at baptism, and the name is filled in.
Other names with this saint
Questions
When is Anna’s name day?
Anna keeps the name day on 25 July on the New Calendar and on 7 August on the Old Calendar, the feast of St Anna, mother of the Mother of God.
Who is the patron saint of Anna?
St Anna, mother of the Mother of God. Joachim, of the tribe of Judah and the house of David, and Anna, daughter of the priest Matthan, lived at Nazareth in love and devotion, but they were childless into old age and bore the scorn of neighbors, since childlessness was counted a disgrace.
How is Anna written in other languages?
Greek: Άννα (Anna), Russian: Анна (Anna), Ukrainian: Ганна (Hanna), Bulgarian: Анна, Serbian: Ана (Ana) and Romanian: Ana. Every form of the name keeps the same saint.
What is a good name-day gift for Anna?
We don’t carry an icon of St Anna, mother of the Mother of God yet, and you can ask for one on this page. Every Orthodox Christian has a Guardian Angel from baptism, so the Name-Day Gift Set ($149) with the Guardian Angel diptych is always fitting.
More about name days
- Name Days Explained: What They Are, How Families Keep Them, and Gifts
A name day is the feast of the saint whose name you carry. Here is how to find yours on either calendar, how Greek and Russian families keep it, and what to give.
- Orthodox Patron Saint: How to Find Yours (by Name, Day or Choice)
Your Orthodox patron saint is the saint whose name you were given at baptism. Here is how to find yours by name, by the day of your birth or baptism, or by choice, and how to keep the name day.
- Find another name
Sources
- OCA — Holy and Righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna
- OCA — Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by Saint Anna
- OCA — Dormition of the Righteous Anna
- Azbuka very — Молитвы праведным Богоотцам Иоакиму и Анне
- eortologio.net, Greek name-day calendar (Εορτολόγιο)
- azbyka.ru, Месяцеслов (the Russian Church's calendar of saints by name)