Annika Explained
Annika is a feminine given name with multiple origins in different cultures. It is a Swedish diminutive for Anna, derived in the 15th century from Anneke, a Dutch and Northern Germanic diminutive of Anna. Swedish-born retired professional golfer Annika Sörenstam is a well-known bearer of the name.
It is also a name that was in use for Black women in the mid- to late 1800s in the United States, according to census records. The name might have unknown origins in an African language, be a short form of another name such as Angelica, or be a combination of other names such as Anna and Monica. Anika is a spelling variant.[1]
It is also common in Germany, Finland and Estonia as well as in Sweden, gaining popularity after 1969 from the character of that name in the Pippi Longstocking TV series, film and book. Star Trek character Seven of Nine, whose name at birth was Annika Hansen, has also raised the profile of the name since the 1990s.[2]
Women
- Annika Beck (born 1994), German tennis player
- Annika Bryn (born 1945), Swedish author and freelance journalist
- Annika Drazek (born 1995), German bobsledder and track and field athlete
- Annika Fredén (born 1978), Swedish handball player
- Annika Idström (1947–2011), Finnish writer
- Annika Kipp (born 1979), German television presenter
- Annika Kjærgaard (born 1971), Swedish singer
- Annika Langvad (born 1984), Danish cross mountain biker
- Annika Lemström (born 1964), Finnish sailor
- Annika Noelle (born 1986), American actress and model
- Annika Norlin (born 1977), Swedish pop artist and journalist
- Annika Mombauer (born 1967), British academic and historian
- Annika Reeder (born 1979), British artistic gymnast
- Annika Saarikko (born 1983), Finnish politician
- Annika Saarnak (born 1988), Estonian swimmer
- Annika Svahn (fl. 1714), Finnish dragoon
- Annika Sörenstam (born 1970), Swedish professional golfer
- Annika Tammela (1979–2001), Estonian footballer
- Annika Uvehall (born 1965), Swedish Olympic swimmer
- Annika Viilo (born 1965), Finnish orienteer
Arts and entertainment
Fictional characters
Television
- Annika, 1984 TV mini-series
- Annika, 2021 British TV series
- , 2023 Finnish-Swedish TV series
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Cleveland Evans: Annika's origins a mystery, popularity is not . Evans . Cleveland Kent . 9 October 2022 . omaha.com . Omaha World Herald . 13 December 2023 .
- Web site: Annika . nameberry.com . Nameberry . 5 January 2024 .
