Namewise

Amelia vs Anna

Amelia 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2021, Amelia was ranked #2 and Anna #85 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Amelia was ranked #3 and Anna #142 among girls in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2021, Amelia was ranked #3 and Anna #99 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Amelia was ranked #7 and Anna #53 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Amelia was ranked #12 and Anna #26 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Amelia was ranked #14 and Anna #19 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Amelia was ranked #39 and Anna #23 among girls in Norway.

Amelia and Anna over time

Amelia and Anna appear together in 6 published lists, across 218 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Amelia in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 5 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 5 of those lists, Amelia 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amelia moved into the top 50 at #34 in 2001 as Anna fell out of it to #54, having been #41 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2001, Amelia moved ahead of Anna in England and Wales · Girls — #35 and #31 the year before became #32 and #34.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Amelia and Anna changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1985 and 2021, ending at #2 and #85.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Amelia and Anna averaged 57.1 places apart, ending at #3 and #142.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amelia rose about as far as Anna fell — from #92 and #47 in 1985 to #2 and #85 in 2021.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Amelia and Anna were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #3 and #142.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2025

    Amelia held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Anna in 42.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2017, Anna #12 in 2013.

    The order changed in 2012: Amelia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #32 and #18; by 2012 that had become #12 and #22.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #12, Anna #26.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1985–2021

    Amelia held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Anna in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2020, Anna #41 in 1991.

    The order changed in 2001: Amelia moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #45 and #41; by 2001 that had become #34 and #54.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Amelia #2, Anna #85.

  • New Zealand · Girls35 shared years, 1986–2021

    Amelia held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Anna in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2019, Anna #10 in 1987.

    The order changed in 2004: Amelia moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #27 and #26; by 2004 that had become #22 and #40.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Amelia #3, Anna #99.

  • Norway · Girls35 shared years, 1967–2025

    Amelia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Anna in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #32 in 2019, Anna #4 in 2007.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #39, Anna #23.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Amelia held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Anna in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2011, Anna #31 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2001: Amelia moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #35 and #31; by 2001 that had become #32 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #3, Anna #142.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024

    Amelia held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Anna in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #4 in 2012, Anna #4 in 2016.

    The order changed in 2022: Amelia moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #11 and #9; by 2022 that had become #11 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #14, 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Amelia

Pairs where Amelia shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Anna

Pairs where Anna shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Amelia, Anna
FieldAmeliaAnna
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'work' or 'industrious', with usage strongly influenced by the separate Roman name Aemilia.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.
OriginLatin (influence)Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission
Pronunciation/əˈmiːliə//ˈa.na/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesAmelie, Amalia, Amy, MiaNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationUnited Kingdom #1 (2025)Norway · Girls #23 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Amelia is recorded with a Latin (influence) origin, while Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin.
  • Amelia has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Anna.
  • Amelia's recorded meaning differs from Anna's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Amelia a "high" Data Confidence level and Anna a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Amelia

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #300 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Anna

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1956–2021

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1980 (recorded 1956–2021).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #142 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls