Ada vs Allanah
Ada and Allanahcompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2023, Ada was ranked #37 and Allanah #5687 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Ada was ranked #444 and Allanah #758 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Ada and Allanah over time
Ada and Allanah appear together in 1 published list, across 26 years of shared records. Ada held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Allanah 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.
Allanah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Ada in none. 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls26 shared years, 1996–2023
Ada held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Allanah in 8.
Highest recorded here: Ada #37 in 2023, Allanah #1036 in 1998.
The order changed in 2004: Ada moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #1628 and #1383; by 2004 that had become #1617 and #1715.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ada #37, Allanah #5687.
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 | Ada | Allanah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A short form of Germanic names beginning with 'adal' meaning 'noble', such as Adelaide or Adelina. Notably borne by Ada Lovelace, who assisted Charles Babbage with early computer development. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Germanic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #18 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #5687 (2023) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ada has a recorded origin (Germanic); Allanah does not have one recorded yet.
- Ada has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Allanah.
- A meaning is recorded for Ada; Allanah doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Ada
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #229 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in Norway, in 2019 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #18 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Allanah
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #1112 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2010
Highest recorded position: #398 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2010).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #5687 among girls in England and Wales, in 2023.
England and Wales · Girls