Anja

Anja is a Scandinavian, German, and Slavic short form of Anna, which derives from the Hebrew name Channah, meaning grace or favor. It became widely used across northern and central Europe as both a pet form and an independent given name, particularly from the nineteenth century onward. The name shares its ultimate root with Anne, Anna, Annette, and Annika, all of which spread throughout Europe through the influence of the biblical figure Hannah and later Saint Anne, the traditional mother of the Virgin Mary.