Anya
2025 SSA
About Anya
Traditionally used as a Russian diminutive of Anna, Anya now has a life of its own outside its native country. A Top 400 choice in the US and France, and in the Top 300 in England and Wales, it may appeal as a familiar yet slightly off-beat form of the classic, that sounds both sweet and sophisticated at the same time.
Ultimately derived from the Hebrew Hannah, meaning "grace", Anya follows the pattern of other Russian diminutives such as Katya and Alya. This transliteration is familiar in Russia, Poland, and other East European countries, while the Anja is the spelling usually preferred in Germany Norway, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and The Netherlands. In the Hungarian language, Anya coincides with the word for mother.
Pronounced as ANN-yuh in English and AH-nyuh in Russian, it appears in Chekhov's classic,, The Cherry Orchard. Other pop cultural appearances include the Audrey Hepburn movie, Roman Holiday, the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the anime series Spy x Family.
Actress Anya Taylor-Joy and writer Anya Seton may have helped bring more attention to this international gem.
Pronounced AHN-yuh.
As of October 2026, Anya ranked #375 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #363 in 2009, Nameberry popularity #251.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #473 | 671 | 375.6 |
| 2015 | #550 | 564 | 315.9 |
| 2016 | #592 | 516 | 291.2 |
| 2017 | #627 | 471 | 272.8 |
| 2018 | #677 | 431 | 253.4 |
| 2019 | #658 | 445 | 265.1 |
| 2020 | #657 | 438 | 270.9 |
| 2021 | #537 | 574 | 349.8 |
| 2022 | #486 | 645 | 393.3 |
| 2023 | #443 | 695 | 433.1 |
| 2024 | #394 | 798 | 492.5 |
| 2025 | #375 | 821 | 510.8 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Anya.
Anya on lists
Famous Anyas
- Anya Rozova
American fashion model
- Anya Taylor
Joy, Argentine,British actress
- Anya Marina
American singer known for "Satellite Heart"
- Anya Gallaccio
British artist
- Anya Verkhovskaya
Russian,American filmmaker
- Anya Marina
American singer,songwriter
- Anya Monzikova
Russian,American model
- Anya Taranda
American model and showgirl; wife of songwriter Harold Arlen
- Anya Seton
pen name of American romance author Ann Seton
- Anya Kamenetz
American journalist
Anya in pop culture
- Anya
the make character in the Broadway musical "Anastasia"
- Anya
Anastasia's nickname in 1997 movie "Anastasia"
- Anyanka "Anya" Christina Emmanuella Jenkins
character on TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
- "Because of Anya
" novel by Margaret Peterson Haddix
- Anya Piddling
main character from "Mist & Whispers" (The Weaver's Riddle series) by C. M. Lucas
- Anya Balanchine
character in "All These Things I've Done" by Gabrielle Zevin
- Anya MacPherson
character from TV's "Degrassi: The Next Generation"
- Anya Borzakovskaya
character in "Anya's Ghost" by Vera Brosgol
- Anya Smith
alias of Audrey Hepburn's character, Princess Ann, in "Roman Holiday"
- Anya Hepburn
character from the anime "Soul Eater Not!"
- Anya Sofia Corazon aka Spider
Girl, character in Marvel Comics
- Anya Alstreim
character in Code Geass.
- Anya Amasova
Bond girl in "The Spy Who Loved Me"
- Anya Claus
wife of Santa in "Santa Claus: The Movie"
- Anya Stroud
the dispatch girl in video game Gears of War
- Anya
an alchemist in video game Diablo II: Lord of Destruction.
- Anya
daughter of Magneto in X,Men comics
- Anya
a guardian in the Star Trek episode "The Dauphin".
- Anya
a mission director in video game "Project I.G.I.: I'm Going In"
- Anya
recurring character on TV's "The 100"
- Anya
a lighthouse in video game "To the Moon"
- Anya Forger
a child telepath in the manga series "Spy x Family"
- Anya
character in video game "Mouthwashing"
- Princess Anya
protagonist of "Frogkisser!" by Garth Nix