Find out how popular the first name Anat has been for the last 17 years (from 1974 to 1990) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Anat by gender

Based on the last 17 years of data, Anat is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 1990, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Anat.

The history of the first name Anat

The name Anat is of Semitic origin, dating back to ancient times in the region of Canaan, which encompassed parts of modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. It is derived from the ancient West Semitic word "Anath," which means "answer" or "response." The name was borne by a significant ancient Near Eastern goddess of love, war, and fertility, worshipped by the Canaanites and ancient Israelites.

Anat is mentioned in several ancient texts, including the Ugaritic texts from Ras Shamra, which date back to the 14th century BCE. In these texts, Anat is depicted as a fierce warrior goddess, sometimes portrayed as the sister and consort of the god Baal. She is also referenced in the Hebrew Bible, where her cult is condemned by the Israelite prophets.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Anat dates back to the 18th century BCE, found in the archives of the city of Mari, located in modern-day Syria. A woman named Anat is mentioned as the wife of a prominent official during that time.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Anat. One of the earliest was Anat (c. 1340 BCE), an Egyptian princess and daughter of Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti. Another prominent figure was Anat (c. 380 BCE), a Judean woman mentioned in the Elephantine Papyri, which were legal documents from a Jewish community in Egypt.

In the Middle Ages, Anat was the name of a Jewish woman from Cairo, Egypt, who is mentioned in the 12th-century work "The Book of Traditions" by Abraham ibn Daud. During the Renaissance period, Anat (1520-1587) was an Italian-Jewish poet and scholar from the city of Ferrara.

In more recent times, Anat Kamm (born 1986) is an Israeli former soldier who was convicted in 2011 of leaking classified military documents to the media. Anat Cohen (born 1975) is a renowned Israeli-American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist who has received numerous awards and accolades.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Anat was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Anat, please contact us.

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