Namewise

Anita vs Laura

Anita and Lauracompared 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 1989, Anita was ranked #100 and Laura #9 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1983, Anita was ranked #86 and Laura #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2010, Anita was ranked #430 and Laura #61 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Anita was ranked #905 and Laura #91 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Anita was ranked #459 and Laura #141 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Anita was ranked #2278 and Laura #303 among girls in England and Wales.

Anita and Laura over time

Anita and Laura appear together in 4 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. Laura held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Anita in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Anita reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Laura 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Girls, Laura moved into the top 50 at #50 in 1981 as Anita fell out of it to #56, having been #49 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1981, Laura moved ahead of Anita in New Zealand · Girls — #49 and #57 the year before became #56 and #50.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Anita and Laura were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2278 and #303.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Anita #436 in 1996, Laura #17 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #130 and #131 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2022 they were #905 and #91.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls70 shared years, 1945–2025

    Anita held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Laura in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Anita #4 in 1963, Laura #104 in 2017.

    The order changed in 1999: Laura moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #153 and #179; by 1999 that had become #199 and #183.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anita #459, Laura #141.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls53 shared years, 1964–2022

    Anita held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Laura in 51.

    Highest recorded here: Anita #74 in 1976, Laura #2 in 1985.

    The order changed in 1972: Laura moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #75 and #86; by 1972 that had become #85 and #81.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Anita #905, Laura #91.

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

    Anita held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laura in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Anita #436 in 1996, Laura #17 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anita #2278, Laura #303.

  • New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 1978–1989

    Anita held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Laura in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Anita #49 in 1980, Laura #9 in 1989.

    The order changed in 1981: Laura moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #49 and #57; by 1981 that had become #56 and #50.

    Most recent shared year, 1989: Anita #100, Laura #9.

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 Anita

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

Other comparisons involving Laura

Pairs where Laura 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland 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 Anita, Laura
FieldAnitaLaura
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems.
OriginNot yet recordedLatin
Pronunciation/ˈlɔɹ.ə/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #459 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Laura has a recorded origin (Latin); Anita does not have one recorded yet.
  • Anita has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Laura.
  • A meaning is recorded for Laura; Anita doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Anita

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #162 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 recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Norway, in 1963 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2278 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Laura

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #313 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 recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #303 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls