The name Ann originates from France and the French as well as the Hebrew meaning is grace or favor. It is important to note that the version of the name is not the name Anne, which tends to be more common.
The other form of this name is spelled Anne, which I'm sure you are aware of. The version you are referring to derived from the original spelling which in turn came from France. In French history, the name Anne was formed from the name Hannah in medieval times.
The name Ann has been made famous by certain political figures and people within the arts. For example, there are two well-known American politicians with the name Ann, including Texan political figure Ann Richards and attorney and author Ann Coulter. Furthermore, a famous British conservative politician goes by the name of Ann Widdecombe. In addition, Ann M Martin is the author of the very well-known 'The Babysitter Club' books while Ann Radcliffe was the initiator of the gothic novel movement. Moreover, this is not a famous individual but you may be aware of the fictional character Raggedy Ann which is a very popular doll that people still refer to today in slang terms. This is another famous use of the name Ann.
You may be aware of the fact that some cities, states and so on all over the world are named after certain people. With regards to the name Ann, there is a notable location known as Ann Arbor. It is a relatively famous city in the state of Michigan and was named this in memory of the two founders of the city. The founders were Elisha Rumsey and John Allen whom both had wives with the first name of Ann.
