Girl · Hebrew · Old Testament

Hannah

HAN-uh · from Channah · means “Grace, favor”

Hannah is a Hebrew name meaning "grace" or "favor." In Scripture, Hannah prayed for a child through years of heartache, and God answered with the prophet Samuel. Her name has become a lasting picture of persistent prayer and of grace given at just the right time.

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.”

The story behind the name

Hannah's story opens in sorrow. Year after year she longed for a child, provoked by rivals and misunderstood even by the priest who watched her pray. At the temple in Shiloh she poured out her soul before the Lord, lips moving without sound (1 Samuel 1).

God remembered Hannah. She named her son Samuel, saying "because I asked the Lord for him," and then did something remarkable: she gave him back, dedicating Samuel to the Lord's service. Her prayer of praise in 1 Samuel 2 echoes centuries later in Mary's song in Luke 1.

A daughter named Hannah carries a legacy of honest prayer, patient hope, and open-handed trust. Her name means grace, and her life shows what grace received and grace returned can look like.

Middle names that sing with Hannah

Chosen for rhythm and meanings that speak to each other.

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