NazukeYour Name in KanjiKanji meaningsAll namesGuides

Anna in Japanese

KatakanaアナAna
Kanji愛南Ana

In Japanese, Anna is written in katakana as アナ (Ana), the way Japanese people write foreign names. To write it in kanji, each sound gets a character chosen for its meaning. Our top pick is 愛南 (ana): “love”, “south”.

How Anna sounds in Japanese

アナEnglish

Kanji for Anna

愛南
ana
  • 愛
    a love
    Love and affection in every sense; the most popular character in Japanese girls’ names.
    The kanji 愛 was famously worn on the helmet crest of the Sengoku samurai Naoe Kanetsugu.
  • 南
    na south
    The south; warmth and open skies.
安南
ana
  • 安
    a peace
    Calm and safety, like a home where everyone rests easy.
    It appears in Heian-kyō (平安京), the old name of Kyoto, meaning “capital of peace”.
  • 南
    na south
    The south; warmth and open skies.
安和
ana
  • 安
    a peace
    Calm and safety, like a home where everyone rests easy.
    It appears in Heian-kyō (平安京), the old name of Kyoto, meaning “capital of peace”.
  • 和
    na harmony
    Peace and harmony; the character for Japan itself, as in 和食 (Japanese food).
    Wa (和) represents the foundational Japanese philosophy of peace and harmony, famously declared in Prince Shotoku's 17-Article Constitution.

By style

Masculine
安南
peace · south
Feminine
愛菜
love · greens

Questions about Anna in Japanese

How do you write Anna in Japanese?

Anna is written アナ in katakana. Katakana is the script Japanese people use for foreign names, so this is how Anna would appear on a Japanese ID card, a café cup or a name tag.

What are the best kanji for Anna?

Our top pick is 愛南 (Ana). 愛 means “love” and 南 means “south”. Other good options are 安南 (Ana) and 安和 (Ana).

Is 愛南 a real Japanese name?

Partly. The characters 愛南 appear in Japanese names, but with the reading Aina and Anami rather than Ana. As a spelling of Anna, it is a creative kanji choice (ateji): Japanese readers will see the meaning of each character.

How many strokes is 愛南?

愛南 has 22 strokes in total (愛: 13, 南: 9). It takes some practice to write neatly, so look up the stroke order before trying it with a brush.

Can I use 愛南 as a tattoo?

Each character in 愛南 has a positive meaning, so it is a reasonable choice. Keep in mind that Japanese people will read it as the meaning of the characters, not instantly as “Anna”. If you want your name to be recognized, katakana (アナ) is clearer. Either way, ask a native speaker to check the final design.

Planning a tattoo or a print? Read the kanji tattoo checklist, and check the kanji in the name tool. Not sure which script to use? See katakana or kanji.

ShareXRedditFacebookWhatsApp

Make it yours

Pick the kind of person you are (Samurai, Shinobi, Miko and more) and Nazuke chooses kanji that match your personality. You can also save your result as an image.

Personalize Anna in kanji →Anna as an anime character ⚡

Nearby names

Anja · Anjelica · Anka · Anki · Ankita · Ann · Annabel · Annabelle · Annalisa · Annamaria · Anne · Annelie