Abby vs Alannah
Abby and Alannahcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Abby was ranked #443 and Alannah #103 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Abby was ranked #298 and Alannah #237 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Abby was ranked #351 and Alannah #790 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Abby was ranked #1819 and Alannah #934 among girls in England and Wales.
Abby and Alannah over time
Abby and Alannah appear together in 3 published lists, across 84 years of shared records. Alannah held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Abby in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Alannah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Abby in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Abby and Alannah changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2021, ending at #298 and #237.
- Longest-running competitions
Abby and Alannah were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 33 years, from 1990 to 2025, ending at #443 and #103.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Abby #55 in 2004, Alannah #49 in 2003.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1990–2025
Abby held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Alannah in 33.
Highest recorded here: Abby #55 in 2004, Alannah #49 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abby #443, Alannah #103.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Abby held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Alannah in 13.
Highest recorded here: Abby #100 in 2002, Alannah #357 in 1997.
The order changed in 2012: Alannah moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #420 and #545; by 2012 that had become #596 and #509.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abby #1819, Alannah #934.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2021
Abby held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Alannah in 11.
Highest recorded here: Abby #62 in 2003, Alannah #131 in 2008.
The order changed in 2016: Alannah moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #178 and #191; by 2016 that had become #440 and #251.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Abby #298, Alannah #237.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Abby | Alannah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #103 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Abby has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Alannah.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Abby
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #446 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1990–2025
Highest recorded position: #55 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1990–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Alannah
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #529 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1983–2025
Highest recorded position: #49 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2003 (recorded 1983–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #103 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls