Anais
Meaning of Anais
Anaïs, a lilting Occitan-French variant of Ana derived from the Hebrew Hannah (“grace, favor”), carries a name-day’s lightness but never quite blends into the crowd. Francophones voice it ah-nah-EES, while many Americans prefer ah-NAY-is, giving the three syllables room to breathe like jasmine in a Shirazi courtyard. Literary wanderers meet it first in Anaïs Nin, whose diaries doubled as passports to 20th-century bohemia; fragrance fans catch its echo in Cacharel’s classic perfume; statisticians note its steady U.S. presence—hovering in the 600–700 range for three decades, neither meteoric nor obscure, rather a comet on a long, measured arc. Folklorists occasionally link the name to Anahita, ancient Persian guardian of springs, adding a whisper of saffron-scented myth to its fundamentally Hebrew roots. The result is a trim, cosmopolitan choice: familiar enough to pronounce after one correction, uncommon enough to earn its own monogram, and graceful—by meaning and by manner—without resorting to flourishes.
Pronunciation
French
- Pronunced as ah-nah-EES (/a.na.is/)
American English
- Pronunced as ah-NAY-is (/ə.neɪs/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Anais
| Anaïs Nin was a French-born American writer celebrated for her diaries and erotic literature. |
| Anaïs Mitchell is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and playwright who has released eight studio albums, including Hadestown. |
| Anaïs is the stage name of French singer Régine Hantelle. |
| Anaïs Demoustier is a French actress who won the César Award for Best Actress in 2020 after earning two prior nominations for Most Promising Actress. |
| Anaís Salazar is a Mexican actress, hostess, and singer. |
