Abigail vs Alannah
Abigail 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #80 and Alannah #227 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #102 and Alannah #790 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #115 and Alannah #103 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #154 and Alannah #934 among girls in England and Wales.
Abigail and Alannah over time
Abigail and Alannah appear together in 3 published lists, across 98 years of shared records. Abigail held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Alannah in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one 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, Abigail 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2025, Alannah moved ahead of Abigail in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #79 and #117 the year before became #115 and #103.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Abigail and Alannah changed places 9 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1983 and 2025, ending at #115 and #103.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 41 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Abigail and Alannah averaged 31.9 places apart, ending at #115 and #103.
- Longest-running competitions
Abigail and Alannah were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 41 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #115 and #103.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls41 shared years, 1983–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Alannah in 14.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Alannah #49 in 2003.
The order changed in 2025: Alannah moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #79 and #117; by 2025 that had become #115 and #103.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #115, Alannah #103.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Alannah in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Alannah #357 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #154, Alannah #934.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Alannah in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Alannah #131 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #80, Alannah #227.
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 | Abigail | 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 | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #103 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Abigail and Alannah both have 3 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Abigail
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #303 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #55 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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