For the first time, we report the electrochemical activity of anatase TiO2 nanorods in a Na cell. The anatase TiO2 nanorods were synthesized by a hydrothermal method, and their surfaces were coated by carbon to improve the electric conductivity through carbonization of pitch at 700oC for 2 h in Ar flow. The resulting structure does not change before and after the carbon coating, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Transmission electron microscopic images confirm the presence of a carbon coating on the anatase TiO2 nanorods. In cell tests, anodes of bare and carbon-coated anatase TiO2 nanorods exhibit stable cycling performance and attain a capacity of about 172 mAh g-1 and 193 mAh g-1 on the first charge, respectively, in the voltage range of 3-0 V. With the help of the conductive carbon layers, the carbon-coated anatase TiO2 delivers more capacity at high rates: 104 mAh g-1 at the 10 C-rate (3.3 A g-1), 82 mAh g-1 at the 30 C-rate (10 A g-1), and 53 mAh g-1 at the 100 C-rate (33 A g-1). By contrast, the anode of bare anatase TiO2 nanorods delivers only about 38 mAh g-1 at the 10 C-rate (3.3 A g-1). Similar to the electrochemically lithiated anatase TiO2, the sodiated anatase TiO2 undergoes phase transformation to orthorhombic Na0.5TiO2 from tetragonal anatase structure, as confirmed by ex-situ XRD study. The excellent cyclability and high-rate capability are the result of a Na+ insertion and extraction reaction into the host structure coupled with Ti4+/3+ redox reaction, as revealed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy.