Namewise
Shortlist

Ann vs Anne

Ann and Anne compared 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 1970, Ann was ranked #97 and Anne #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1969, Ann was ranked #92 and Anne #70 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2023, Ann was ranked #404 and Anne #96 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2008, Ann was ranked #439 and Anne #370 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ann was ranked #443 and Anne #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ann was ranked #2006 and Anne #1110 among girls in England and Wales.

Ann and Anne over time

Norway · Girls
#1#3#10#30#100#30019452023Ann #404Anne #961945: Ann #82, Anne #11946: Ann #104, Anne #11947: Ann #60, Anne #11948: Ann #59, Anne #11949: Ann #60, Anne #11950: Ann #52, Anne #11951: Ann #51, Anne #11952: Ann #47, Anne #11953: Ann #42, Anne #11954: Ann #34, Anne #11955: Ann #33, Anne #11956: Ann #27, Anne #11957: Ann #31, Anne #11958: Ann #27, Anne #11959: Ann #29, Anne #11960: Ann #20, Anne #11961: Ann #23, Anne #11962: Ann #24, Anne #11963: Ann #21, Anne #11964: Ann #17, Anne #11965: Ann #17, Anne #11966: Ann #13, Anne #11967: Ann #10, Anne #11968: Ann #12, Anne #11969: Ann #14, Anne #11970: Ann #15, Anne #11971: Ann #20, Anne #11972: Ann #19, Anne #11973: Ann #18, Anne #11974: Ann #21, Anne #11975: Ann #21, Anne #21976: Ann #18, Anne #11977: Ann #23, Anne #21978: Ann #20, Anne #21979: Ann #23, Anne #11980: Ann #25, Anne #11981: Ann #27, Anne #11982: Ann #26, Anne #21983: Ann #31, Anne #21984: Ann #39, Anne #31985: Ann #40, Anne #91986: Ann #42, Anne #61987: Ann #51, Anne #81988: Ann #51, Anne #81989: Ann #59, Anne #101990: Ann #57, Anne #111991: Ann #71, Anne #151992: Ann #86, Anne #171993: Ann #81, Anne #221994: Ann #126, Anne #281995: Ann #111, Anne #241996: Ann #116, Anne #251997: Ann #124, Anne #311998: Ann #149, Anne #371999: Ann #140, Anne #442000: Ann #159, Anne #422001: Ann #194, Anne #522002: Ann #185, Anne #472003: Ann #243, Anne #552004: Ann #220, Anne #632005: Ann #206, Anne #732006: Ann #273, Anne #632007: Ann #270, Anne #802008: Ann #259, Anne #772009: Ann #305, Anne #972010: Ann #420, Anne #1042011: Ann #412, Anne #1002012: Ann #355, Anne #972013: Ann #377, Anne #892014: Ann #406, Anne #1022015: Ann #452, Anne #1012016: Ann #448, Anne #1182019: Ann #435, Anne #1332022: Ann #404, Anne #1212023: Ann #404, Anne #96

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Republic of Ireland · Girls
#10#30#100#30019642025Ann #443Anne #5441964: Ann #4, Anne #51965: Ann #5, Anne #41966: Ann #4, Anne #51967: Ann #4, Anne #51968: Ann #4, Anne #51969: Ann #4, Anne #61970: Ann #4, Anne #71971: Ann #6, Anne #91972: Ann #7, Anne #101973: Ann #12, Anne #91974: Ann #10, Anne #131975: Ann #15, Anne #161976: Ann #11, Anne #191977: Ann #18, Anne #201978: Ann #20, Anne #221979: Ann #20, Anne #261980: Ann #24, Anne #231981: Ann #20, Anne #261982: Ann #24, Anne #221983: Ann #28, Anne #271984: Ann #32, Anne #281985: Ann #32, Anne #351986: Ann #28, Anne #361987: Ann #39, Anne #341988: Ann #35, Anne #401989: Ann #33, Anne #551990: Ann #47, Anne #621991: Ann #54, Anne #581992: Ann #66, Anne #781993: Ann #64, Anne #591994: Ann #88, Anne #711995: Ann #83, Anne #771996: Ann #95, Anne #681997: Ann #92, Anne #831998: Ann #152, Anne #1731999: Ann #126, Anne #1532000: Ann #148, Anne #1792001: Ann #125, Anne #1922002: Ann #170, Anne #1622003: Ann #132, Anne #2002004: Ann #160, Anne #2152005: Ann #213, Anne #3982006: Ann #345, Anne #3032007: Ann #259, Anne #4042008: Ann #257, Anne #2412009: Ann #239, Anne #4102010: Ann #276, Anne #4222011: Ann #306, Anne #6122012: Ann #510, Anne #5602013: Ann #340, Anne #3572014: Ann #264, Anne #4042015: Ann #291, Anne #4312016: Ann #515, Anne #4482017: Ann #289, Anne #6512018: Ann #319, Anne #3362019: Ann #362, Anne #4572020: Ann #355, Anne #4952021: Ann #363, Anne #5862022: Ann #502, Anne #5022023: Ann #296, Anne #3162024: Ann #556, Anne #6312025: Ann #443, Anne #544

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Ann and Anne over time

Ann and Anne appear together in 5 published lists, across 202 years of shared records. Anne held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ann in 1.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Anne reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Ann 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Ann and Anne changed places 10 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #2006 and #1110.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Ann and Anne averaged 47.2 places apart, ending at #443 and #544.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ann and Anne were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2006 and #1110.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ann #539 in 1996, Anne #432 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls75 shared years, 1945–2023

    Ann held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Anne in 75.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #10 in 1967, Anne #1 in 1945.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Ann #404, Anne #96.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Ann held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Anne in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #4 in 1964, Anne #4 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ann #443, Anne #544.

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

    Ann held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Anne in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #539 in 1996, Anne #432 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ann #2006, Anne #1110.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls19 shared years, 1952–1970

    Ann held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Anne in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #31 in 1955, Anne #11 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1970: Ann #97, Anne #61.

  • New Zealand · Girls16 shared years, 1954–1969

    Ann held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Anne in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #39 in 1955, Anne #13 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1969: Ann #92, Anne #70.

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 Ann

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

Other comparisons involving Anne

Pairs where Anne 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions →

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 Ann, Anne
FieldAnnAnne
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedThe French form of Anna, from the Hebrew root 'hanan' carrying the sense of grace or favour. Imported to England in the 13th century but not popular until three centuries later.
OriginNot yet recordedHebrew, via French transmission
Pronunciation/ˈɑː.nə/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedAnn, Ane, Anna
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025)Norway · Girls #159 (2025)
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Anne has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via French transmission); Ann does not have one recorded yet.
  • Ann has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Anne.
  • A meaning is recorded for Anne; Ann doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Ann a "medium" Data Confidence level and Anne a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Ann

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #82 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: #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2006 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Anne

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #1 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: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1110 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls