Annika
Meaning of Annika
Annika, the crisp Swedish diminutive of Anna, inherits the biblical meaning “grace” while gaining a Nordic lilt—AHN-ni-kah in Swedish, softened to AHN-ni-kuh in American English. First recorded in Scandinavian parish rolls of the 17th century, the name traveled quietly until Astrid Lindgren cast Annika Settergren as Pippi Longstocking’s sensible sidekick; a few decades later, Hall-of-Fame golfer Annika Sörenstam supplied a sleek, high-performance sheen. In the United States the data readout is telling: usage climbed steadily through the 1990s, peaked at rank 270 in 2003, and has since glided down to 680 in 2024—an arc that leaves the name familiar yet far from saturated. Phonetically straightforward, Pan-European, and free of obvious nicknaming drift, Annika appeals to parents who want a name with statistical rarity but no spelling drama, cultural depth without overt flamboyance.
Pronunciation
Swedish
- Pronunced as AHN-ni-kah (/ˈanɪka/)
American English
- Pronunced as AHN-ni-kuh (/ˈɑnɪkə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Annika
| Annika Sörenstam is a legendary Swedish-American golfer celebrated as one of the best in history with the most professional wins. |
| Annika Schleu - Annika Zillekens is a German modern pentathlete who won World Championship gold medals and whose viral horse incident at the 2020 Olympics contributed to the removal of equestrian jumping from the sport. |
| Annika Ernst is a German actress. |
| Annika Billström is a Swedish social democratic politician who served as Stockholm's first female mayor from 2004 to 2006. |
