Meaning: Its source is Channah, a Hebrew name meaning "Favored grace."

Languages: This girl's name is used in Russian.

Nickname For: Anastasia

Popularity: The name Anya ranked 513th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 2202nd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Narrative: In the Jewish scriptures, Channah, wife of Elkanah, was barren. At the temple near Shiloh, she asked God to bless her with a child, promising to dedicate her baby to His service.

Her prayer was answered, and her son Samuel was ''lent to the Lord'' for all the days of his life. Indeed, he grew up to be one of Israel's most revered prophets.

With this story in mind, some authorites translate this name as a full sentence: ''God has graced me with a son.''