Girl · #9,900 in 2026

Hannya

The hannya (般若) is a mask used in a traditional Japanese Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon. It is characterized by two sharp bull-like horns, metallic eyes, and a leering mouth. In Noh plays, the type of mask changes according to the degree of jealousy, resentment, and anger of the female characters.

Current Rank
#9,900
Peak Rank
#9,900 (2006)
Total Babies
33
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2003
First Year
2006
Last Year
2006
Peak Year
#9900
Peak Rank
33
Total Count
4
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Hannya

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

The hannya (般若) is a mask used in a traditional Japanese Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon. It is characterized by two sharp bull-like horns, metallic eyes, and a leering mouth. In Noh plays, the type of mask changes according to the degree of jealousy, resentment, and anger of the female characters.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The word hannya ( 般若 ) is a Japanese phonetic transcription of the Sanskrit word prajñā ( प्रज्ञा ), meaning 'wisdom'. There are several hypotheses as to why the mask used in Noh, which represents a vengeful spirit expressing female jealousy and resentment, was named hannya . According to the first hypothesis, the mask was named hannya because it is said to have been perfected by Hannya-bō ( 般若坊 ) , a Japanese monk of the Bunmei era (1469–1487). The second hypothesis is that it was named after the line Ara osoroshi ya, hannya goe ya ( あら恐ろしや般若声や , 'What a horrible voice reciting the Heart Sutr

The Story of Hannya

Hannya first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2003, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2006, when 11 Hannyas were born — ranking #9,900 that year. As of 2026, Hannya ranks #9,900 for baby girls with 11 births, with steady use. In total, more than 33 Hannyas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Hannya

Phonetically similar names — useful when Hannya is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hannya

What does the name Hannya mean?
The hannya (般若) is a mask used in a traditional Japanese Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon. It is characterized by two sharp bull-like horns, metallic eyes, and a leering mouth. In Noh plays, the type of mask changes according to the degree of jealousy, resentment, and anger of the female characters.
How popular is Hannya in 2026?
In 2026, Hannya ranks #9,900 among girls' names in the U.S., with 11 babies given the name that year.
When was Hannya most popular?
Hannya reached its peak popularity in 2006, ranking #9,900 that year with 11 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Hannya most popular?
Hannya has historically been most popular in California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Hannya.
Is Hannya a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Hannya is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Hannya?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Hannya include Kimberlly, Venicia, Johonna. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Kimberlly
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Venicia
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Johonna
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Beila
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Ecko
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Delsy
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Britlyn
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About the name Hannya

Hannya is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2003 and has accumulated 33 births in the dataset. Hannya's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #9,900. Use the chart and map above to compare Hannya's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.