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Anika

Girl name · 49 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Anika: 49 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 6 births in 2007.

Anika draws from several cultural roots, most familiarly as a variant of Anna, which itself comes from the Hebrew Hannah, meaning “grace” or “favour.” It also appears in Sanskrit with a similar sense of grace or splendour, and in Hungary and Scandinavia as a diminutive of Anna. Among its noted bearers are the American actress Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Princess Tiana in Disney’s *The Princess and the Frog*, and New Zealand singer-songwriter Anika Moa. While no major places directly share the name, the variant Annika is widely used across Northern Europe. Anika’s cross-cultural appeal and gentle, melodic sound have made it a quietly popular choice in Scotland, especially from the 1990s onward.