Ada vs Anna
Ada and Annacompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #18 and Anna #23 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #47 and Anna #19 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ada was ranked #45 and Anna #26 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 and Anna #125 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #44 and Anna #53 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2021, Ada was ranked #78 and Anna #99 among girls in New Zealand.
Ada and Anna over time
Ada and Anna appear together in 4 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ada 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.
Anna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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.
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 2018, Ada moved ahead of Anna in England and Wales · Girls — #114 and #75 the year before became #65 and #85.
- Longest-running competitions
Ada and Anna were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 74 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #18 and #23.
List by list
Norway · Girls74 shared years, 1945–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Anna in 66.
Highest recorded here: Ada #6 in 2019, Anna #4 in 2007.
The order changed in 2018: Ada moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #24 and #9; by 2018 that had become #7 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #18, Anna #23.
Republic of Ireland · Girls31 shared years, 1964–2025
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Anna in 31.
Highest recorded here: Ada #34 in 2023, Anna #12 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ada #45, Anna #26.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Anna in 22.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Anna #31 in 2000.
The order changed in 2018: Ada moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #114 and #75; by 2018 that had become #65 and #85.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Anna #125.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Anna in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ada #35 in 2023, Anna #4 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #47, Anna #19.
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 | Anna |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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. | A form of Hannah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament, from the Hebrew root 'hanan' relating to grace. Appears in the New Testament as a prophetess who recognised Jesus as the Messiah. |
| Origin | Germanic | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | /ˈa.na/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #18 (2025) | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ada is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin.
- Ada and Anna both have 2 syllables.
- Ada's recorded meaning differs from Anna's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Anna
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #38 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1956–2021
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1980 (recorded 1956–2021).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #23 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls