Meaning Hebrew "grace" or "favor."
Figure Mother of Samuel; her prayer in 1 Samuel 2 is a model for the Magnificat (1 Samuel 1-2).
Traditions CATHOLICORTHODOXANGLICANPROTESTANT
In the Christian tradition
Hannah is the mother of Samuel, whose prayer of thanksgiving in 1 Samuel 2 is a clear model for Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1. Her dedication of Samuel to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:27-28) is one of the principal scriptural texts on Christian parenthood. The Greek form Anna is the traditional name for the mother of Mary in Christian tradition.
Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 is the closest Old Testament parallel to the Magnificat in Luke 1:46-55, and many scholars regard Mary's prayer as a deliberate echo of Hannah's. The figure has been honored in Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Protestant tradition as a model of dedication and trust. The Greek form of the name (Anna) is the traditional name for the mother of the Virgin Mary in Christian tradition; the Catholic and Orthodox calendars include Saint Anne in their major feasts. The name Hannah has been in continuous Christian use; the form Anna and its many variations (Anne, Ana, Anneke, Annette) are among the most widely used Christian women's names worldwide.