Given name
Anja
“he (God) has favoured me (i.e. with a child)”·“a woman graced with God's favor”
In German use, Anja is a variant of Anne. One Hebrew interpretation is “he (God) has favoured me (i.e. with a child).” Anja is a variant of Anna. One Latin interpretation is “a woman graced with God's favor.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Anja is a variant of Anne. One Hebrew interpretation is “he (God) has favoured me (i.e. with a child).” Anja is a variant of Anna. One Latin interpretation is “a woman graced with God's favor.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In German use, Anja is a variant of Anne. An origin associated with Anne is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1962. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Anja through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,797
- 0 boys · 2,797 girls
- Most popular year
- 2006
- 122 babies
- 2025
- 35
- #4,075 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −21%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 35 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 4,075 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 21.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 122 in 2006. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,102 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Anja’s family of names
Anja has a related form in Anna. In German usage, Anja has a related form in Anna. In German usage, Anja has a related form in Anne.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Anja has relatives in 8 languages.
9 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 12
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Anaequivalent
- AnyaEnglish
- HanaCzech
- Aniyaequivalent
- Annetteequivalent
- AniaPolish
- Anetteequivalent
- Annettaequivalent
Show 4 moreShow fewer
People named Anja
- Anja PärsonSwedish former alpine skierborn 1981
- Anja AndersenDanish handball playerborn 1969
- Anja RubikPolish modelborn 1983
- Anja NissenDanish-Australian pop singerborn 1995
- Anja MittagGerman footballerborn 1985
- Anja Cetti AndersenDanish astronomer and astrophysicist (born 1965)
- Anja NiedringhausGerman photojournalist (1965–2014)
- Anja FichtelGerman fencerborn 1968
- Anja HuberGerman skeleton racerborn 1983
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Anja, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.