Sanna

Sanna is a Nordic short form of the biblical name Susanna. This name means 'the lily' and has its roots in the Ancient Greek Sousánnā, which in turn goes back to the Hebrew name Shoshannah.

What does the name Sanna mean?

The name Sanna is a Nordic short form of Susanna, which means 'the lily'. It originates from the Ancient Greek Sousánnā and the Hebrew Shoshannah, the latter deriving from the Hebrew word שׁוֹשַׁנָּה / שׁוֹשַׁן, which is derived from the Ancient Egyptian sꜥn for 'lotus'. However, in the Septuagint, it was translated as 'lily'. Additionally, Sanna is also used in Finnish and Sámi as a pet form of Alexandra, which in this context means 'the protector' or 'the defender', derived from the Ancient Greek words alexein for 'to ward off, protect, defend' and andros for 'man, human'. Another possible derivation could be from the Swedish word sann for 'true', interpreting the name as 'the truthful one'. Sanna is particularly widespread in Finland and Sweden, but can also be found in other Scandinavian countries as well as in Germany and the Netherlands. A well-known representative of this name is Finnish politician Sanna Marin. Variants of the name include Sanne and Sanni.

How do you pronounce Sanna?

The pronunciation of Sanna is two syllables and balanced. In German, the name is usually pronounced as 'San-na' [ˈzana] or [ˈsana], starting with a prominent S sound. The doubling of the 'n' creates a stable middle, while the open ending 'a' gently rounds off the sound. This makes Sanna sound clear, friendly, timeless, feminine, and harmonious.

When is the name day of Sanna?

Since Sanna is a short form of Susanna, she celebrates her name day on August 11 and December 19. In her role as a variant of Alexandra, Sanna also has name days on March 21, April 21, and May 18.

Popularity

In Germany, Sanna enjoys great popularity as a first name. Currently, it ranks 550th on the list of the most common female baby names. Its best ranking was achieved in 2023 with 500th place. In the last ten years, Sanna has been given as a first name about 600 times, which means it ranks 735th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, Sanna ranks 818th.

Nicknames & pet names

Ana / Anna / Anni / Nana / Nanchen / Nani / Nanini / Ninni / Sachen / Sahndi / Sanerich / Sanisa / Sanka / Sannchen / Sanni / Sannsches / Sannschi / Sanosch / SanSan / Sansches / Sanscho / Sasa / Sasi / Sonne / Sonnensanna / Sonnenscheinchen / Sunny / Ünni

Similar first names

Famous people

• Sanna Brading (actress from Sweden)
• Sanna Eklund (Swedish biathlete)
• Sanna Englund (actress)
• Sanna Groenlid (biathlete)
• Sanna Gronlid (Norwegian biathlete)
• Sanna Jalomaki (actress from Finland)
• Sanna Jinnedal (model from Sweden)
• Sanna Kurki-Suonio (Finnish singer)
• Sanna Lankosaari (Finnish ice hockey player)
• Sanna Lehtimäki (Finnish cyclist)
• Sanna Lindström (fashion designer)
• Sanna Lüdi (freestyle skier)
• Sanna Luostarinen (actress from Finland)
• Sanna Malaska (Finnish football player)
• Sanna Markkanen (Finnish biathlete)
• Sanna Nielsen (Swedish singer)
• Sanna Persson (actress from Sweden)
• Sanna Saarinen (Finnish football player)
• Sanna Sepponen (actress from Finland)
• Sanna Solberg (Norwegian handball player)