girl's name
Annette
an-NET (English)
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 7
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 206,445
Annette is a girl's name meaning grace, a French diminutive of Anne. It is stable, and it charts in four markets — with the United States strongest at 1,449th, well ahead of France where the form was made.
- Annette is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in 1960, when 7,158 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 22,251 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Annette Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 400 |
| 1890s | 780 |
| 1900s | 1,322 |
| 1910s | 5,595 |
| 1920s | 8,249 |
| 1930s | 13,605 |
| 1940s | 19,249 |
| 1950s | 35,421 |
| 1960s | 52,103 |
| 1970s | 16,119 |
| 1980s | 7,129 |
| 1990s | 3,540 |
| 2000s | 3,269 |
| 2010s | 2,006 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,008 |
What Annette Means
Annette means grace, or little grace. It carries the meaning of Anne from the Hebrew Hannah, with the French -ette ending adding smallness or affection.
Where Annette Comes From
Annette is the French diminutive of Anne, from the Hebrew Hannah — grace, or favor freely given. Hannah in the Book of Samuel prays for a child and is granted Samuel, so the name carries the sense of a petition answered. The -ette ending is the same one in Paulette, Juliette and Colette, and French produced a long line of diminutives from Anne because the name was so common. Annette reached English-speaking countries in the nineteenth century and peaked in America in 1960.
Annette in Use
Annette peaked in the United States in 1960, when 7,158 babies were registered, and it is stable rather than falling. It now ranks 1,449th in the United States on 149 births, 3,249th in England and Wales and 6,771st in France, across 206,445 lifetime births in four markets. As with Yvette and Paulette, the United States now gives a French diminutive a far stronger position than France does.
How Popular Is Annette?
In 2025, Annette was given to 149 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Annette Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Annette
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Annette Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Annette over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Annette
- English an-NET /əˈnɛt/
1 nickname for Annette
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Annette in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Annette
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Annette — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Annette
What does the name Annette mean?
Grace, carried from Anne and ultimately from the Hebrew Hannah.
Is Annette a French name?
The formation is French, though the United States now gives it a far stronger position than France.
Are there similar names?
Paulette, Juliette and Colette all use the same French -ette diminutive ending.
How popular is Annette?
1,449th in the United States, and it is stable.
Is Annette a girl's or a boy's name?
Annette is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Annette?
Annette has 2 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Annette?
Annette is usually shortened to Nettie.
Is Annette a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Annette currently ranks #1,324 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.