Abigail vs Hannah
Abigail and Hannahcompared 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, Abigail was ranked #115 and Hannah #21 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #55 and Hannah #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Abigail was ranked #57 and Hannah #77 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #80 and Hannah #57 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #102 and Hannah #66 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #154 and Hannah #107 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #273 and Hannah #116 among girls in Norway.
Abigail and Hannah over time
Abigail and Hannah appear together in 6 published lists, across 197 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Abigail in 0.
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.
Hannah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Abigail moved into the top 50 at #30 in 2019 as Hannah fell out of it to #53, having been #36 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2024, Abigail moved ahead of Hannah in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #64 and #54 the year before became #48 and #61.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Abigail and Hannah changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #154 and #107.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Abigail and Hannah averaged 12.8 places apart, ending at #154 and #107.
- Longest-running competitions
Abigail and Hannah were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 32 years, from 1991 to 2023, ending at #57 and #77.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1969–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 54.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Hannah #5 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #115, Hannah #21.
New Zealand · Girls32 shared years, 1991–2023
Abigail held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Hannah in 27.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #30 in 2010, Hannah #2 in 1996.
The order changed in 2019: Abigail moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #38 and #36; by 2019 that had become #30 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Abigail #57, Hannah #77.
Norway · Girls30 shared years, 1983–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 30.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #246 in 2022, Hannah #31 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #273, Hannah #116.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Hannah in 26.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Hannah #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #154, Hannah #107.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 28.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Hannah #6 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #80, Hannah #57.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 2002–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Hannah in 20.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #24 in 2010, Hannah #9 in 2002.
The order changed in 2024: Abigail moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #64 and #54; by 2024 that had become #48 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #55, Hannah #73.
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 | Hannah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈhænə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Hannah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Abigail does not have one recorded yet.
- Abigail has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Hannah.
- A meaning is recorded for Hannah; Abigail doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Hannah
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #91 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1978–2023
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1996 (recorded 1978–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls