Alba vs Hannah
Alba 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, Alba was ranked #213 and Hannah #21 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Alba was ranked #227 and Hannah #57 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Alba was ranked #66 and Hannah #66 among girls in Scotland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Alba was ranked #105 and Hannah #116 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alba was ranked #119 and Hannah #107 among girls in England and Wales.
Alba and Hannah over time
Alba and Hannah appear together in 4 published lists, across 86 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Alba 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.
Hannah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Alba 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 2025, Alba moved ahead of Hannah in Norway · Girls — #111 and #97 the year before became #105 and #116.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alba held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 29.
Highest recorded here: Alba #119 in 2024, Hannah #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alba #119, Hannah #107.
Norway · Girls29 shared years, 1990–2025
Alba held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Hannah in 28.
Highest recorded here: Alba #105 in 2025, Hannah #25 in 2005.
The order changed in 2025: Alba moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #111 and #97; by 2025 that had become #105 and #116.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alba #105, Hannah #116.
Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2005–2025
Alba held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 19.
Highest recorded here: Alba #213 in 2025, Hannah #5 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alba #213, Hannah #21.
Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 2014–2024
Alba held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 9.
Highest recorded here: Alba #227 in 2024, Hannah #16 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alba #227, Hannah #57.
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 | Alba | 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 | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #105 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 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); Alba does not have one recorded yet.
- Alba and Hannah both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Hannah; Alba doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Alba
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #546 among girls in Norway in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #105 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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