Ann vs Barbara
Ann and Barbaracompared 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 1969, Ann was ranked #83 and Barbara #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1969, Ann was ranked #92 and Barbara #89 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Ann was ranked #296 and Barbara #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2015, Ann was ranked #452 and Barbara #543 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ann was ranked #1406 and Barbara #2000 among girls in England and Wales.
Ann and Barbara over time
Ann and Barbara appear together in 5 published lists, across 173 years of shared records. Ann held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Barbara in 1.
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.
Barbara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Ann 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 1959, Ann moved ahead of Barbara in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #41 and #31 the year before became #44 and #47.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ann and Barbara changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1406 and #2000.
- Longest-running competitions
Ann and Barbara were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 55 years, from 1946 to 2015, ending at #452 and #543.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ann #539 in 1996, Barbara #848 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2023
Ann held the stronger position in 56 of those years, Barbara in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ann #4 in 1964, Barbara #43 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ann #296, Barbara #856.
Norway · Girls55 shared years, 1946–2015
Ann held the stronger position in 55 of those years, Barbara in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ann #10 in 1967, Barbara #167 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Ann #452, Barbara #543.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ann held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Barbara in 10.
Highest recorded here: Ann #539 in 1996, Barbara #848 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ann #1406, Barbara #2000.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1952–1969
Ann held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Barbara in 5.
Highest recorded here: Ann #31 in 1955, Barbara #16 in 1953.
The order changed in 1959: Ann moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #41 and #31; by 1959 that had become #44 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 1969: Ann #83, Barbara #98.
New Zealand · Girls16 shared years, 1954–1969
Ann held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Barbara in 15.
Highest recorded here: Ann #39 in 1955, Barbara #10 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1969: Ann #92, Barbara #89.
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 | Ann | Barbara |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | ||
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #2000 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ann has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Barbara.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Ann
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Barbara
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #271 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1971
Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1971).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls