Anlaug vs Anna
Anlaug 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 1984, Anlaug was ranked #632 and Anna #15 among girls in Norway.
Anlaug and Anna over time
Anlaug and Anna appear together in 1 published list, across 20 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Anlaug in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Anlaug reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Anna 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
Norway · Girls20 shared years, 1945–1984
Anlaug held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Anna in 20.
Highest recorded here: Anlaug #221 in 1947, Anna #15 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Anlaug #632, Anna #15.
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 | Anlaug | Anna |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈa.na/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #632 (1984) | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 40/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anna has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission); Anlaug does not have one recorded yet.
- Anlaug and Anna both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Anna; Anlaug doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in NO.
How each name got here
Anlaug
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #267 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–1984
Highest recorded position: #221 among girls in Norway, in 1947 (recorded 1945–1984).
Norway · Girls
Most recent1984
Most recently recorded at #632 among girls in Norway, in 1984.
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