UK girl's name
Anke
A diminutive of the German feminine name Anna, meaning "gracious" or "merciful".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2001. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Anke is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Anke popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2001 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3998, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2001 to 2001. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Anke is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Anke. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2002 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Anke ranked #3998 for girls in England and Wales in 2001, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 3 girls were registered as Anke.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anke as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3998
2001
Births in 2001
3
Latest year
Peak year
2001
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Anke mean?
The given name Anke has its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically in the Old High German and Middle Low German tongues. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 10th to 13th centuries. The name Anke is derived from the Old High German word "Ango," which means "narrow" or "constricted," and may have been used as a descriptor for someone with a slender build or a narrow facial feature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Anke can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a medieval document from the 13th century that contains records of the Margraviate of Brandenburg. In this text, the name appears as "Angka," which is likely a variation of the Old High German form.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Anke. One of the earliest was Anke von Sangerhausen (c. 1200-1270), a German noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the development of the town of Sangerhausen in present-day Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
Another prominent figure was Anke Reinders (1522-1578), a Dutch Renaissance painter known for her portraits and religious works. Her paintings can be found in various museums across the Netherlands and Belgium.
In the 17th century, Anke Oxe (1619-1684) was a Danish noblewoman and landowner who held significant influence in the court of King Christian V of Denmark. She played a crucial role in the development of the city of Næstved on the island of Zealand.
Moving forward to the 19th century, Anke Evertz (1887-1966) was a German actress and film director who worked in the early days of German cinema. She directed several silent films and is considered a pioneering figure in the German film industry.
In more recent times, Anke Huber (born 1952) is a German former tennis player who achieved considerable success in the 1970s and 1980s. She won several Grand Slam titles, including the French Open in 1976 and Wimbledon in 1979, and was ranked as the World No. 1 player in 1975.
While the name Anke may not be as common today as it once was, it carries a rich historical lineage and has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, from nobility and the arts to sports and entertainment.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Anke by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anke was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3998 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Anke
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Anke: questions and answers
How popular is the name Anke in the UK right now?
In 2001, Anke was ranked #3998 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Anke most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 3 babies registered as Anke in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Anke?
A diminutive of the German feminine name Anna, meaning "gracious" or "merciful".
How many people are called Anke in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Anke across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.