Henna

Henna has a Finnish personal-name history and a separate botanical association. In Finnish, it is a feminine form in the Henry family, whose Germanic roots mean home ruler. That makes it an established given name with a history independent of the English word for henna, the plant used to produce a reddish dye.

The plant word reached English through Arabic and evokes the use of henna in body decoration and hair coloring. Families may be drawn to that cultural and natural association, or to the Finnish name itself. The two meanings belong to separate routes and need not be combined. Henna's resemblance to Hannah is also visually strong, but the Finnish Henry-family explanation should be distinguished from the Hebrew name meaning grace.