Fun Facts About the Name Henna
- More than 1 thousand babies named Henna: U.S. records list 1,324 babies given the name Henna from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Henna Mean?
Henna is a feminine name with two separate sources. In Finland and Estonia it is a form of Hanna, the Finnish and Scandinavian form of Hannah. Hannah comes from the Hebrew Channah (חַנָּה), built on the root ḥ-n-n, "to be gracious" or "to show favor." Its customary meaning is "grace" or "favor."
In South Asian and Middle Eastern use, the name is the word for the henna plant, Arabic ḥinnāʾ (حِنَّاء), which passed into Persian and Urdu as hina (حنا). In that tradition the name is usually spelled Hina, while Henna matches the English spelling of the same word. This is a literal use of the plant's name, not a translation of a word for a quality.
Henna Name History & Origins
Hannah appears in the Hebrew Bible as the mother of the prophet Samuel, and the name was carried through Jewish and later Christian communities across Europe. It took many regional forms, among them Anna and Anne, and in Scandinavia and Finland, Hanna. Finnish speakers shortened Hanna to Henna, which came to be used as a given name in its own right; it is also found in Estonia. This is the name's main documented history as a personal name.
The word henna refers to Lawsonia inermis, a shrub grown in hot, dry parts of North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. A dye made from its crushed leaves has been used for centuries to stain skin, hair, and nails, and its use at weddings and festivals, known in South Asia as mehndi, is well recorded. English took the word henna from Arabic. Personal names taken from the plant, such as Hina, are common in Pakistan and northern India, and the spelling Henna appears alongside them.
How Popular is the Name Henna?
Henna has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2001. Its best rank was #2,783 in 2001.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,016 | 36 | 0.0022% |
| 2024 | #5,056 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 2023 | #4,597 | 30 | 0.0019% |
| 2022 | #5,524 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 2021 | #4,661 | 29 | 0.0018% |
| 2020 | #4,043 | 35 | 0.0022% |
| 2019 | #4,960 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2018 | #6,351 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2017 | #4,609 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2016 | #4,900 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2015 | #4,177 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 2014 | #3,802 | 40 | 0.0022% |
| 2013 | #4,104 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 2012 | #4,882 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2011 | #4,286 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 2010 | #3,709 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 2009 | #3,696 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 2008 | #4,487 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2007 | #3,397 | 49 | 0.0025% |
| 2006 | #4,871 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2005 | #3,426 | 44 | 0.0024% |
| 2004 | #3,518 | 42 | 0.0023% |
| 2003 | #3,436 | 42 | 0.0023% |
| 2002 | #3,678 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 2001 | #2,783 | 53 | 0.0029% |
| 2000 | #3,547 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 1999 | #3,834 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1998 | #4,066 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1997 | #3,572 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 1996 | #3,666 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 1995 | #4,573 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1994 | #3,253 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1993 | #3,622 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 1992 | #3,444 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1991 | #3,236 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 1990 | #5,134 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1989 | #6,681 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #5,417 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1987 | #5,705 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1986 | #6,778 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #5,782 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1984 | #5,648 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #7,538 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1982 | #7,082 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #8,426 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #6,982 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1979 | #10,749 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #8,506 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #8,045 | 6 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Henna Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You attract success and money. You are a lover of nature and do not need others for your happiness. You are self sufficient. You strive for material success and power and have business sense. You possess strong organizational abilities, can be a good manager, and executive by nature. You are capable of great achievement in business and finance. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Henna's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Henna's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.