Namewise

Ann vs Karen

Ann and Karencompared 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 Karen #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1969, Ann was ranked #92 and Karen #3 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2023, Ann was ranked #404 and Karen #352 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Ann was ranked #362 and Karen #871 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

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

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ann was ranked #2006 and Karen #2440 among girls in England and Wales.

Ann and Karen over time

Ann and Karen appear together in 5 published lists, across 195 years of shared records. Karen held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ann 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.

Ann reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Karen 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 Karen changed places 15 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #2006 and #2440.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ann and Karen were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 75 years, from 1945 to 2023, ending at #404 and #352.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ann #539 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls75 shared years, 1945–2023

    Ann held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Karen in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #10 in 1967, Karen #57 in 1946.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Ann #404, Karen #352.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2019

    Ann held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Karen in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #4 in 1964, Karen #5 in 1977.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Ann #362, Karen #871.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ann held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Karen in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #539 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2021: Ann moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #1939 and #1773; by 2021 that had become #1351 and #3192.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ann #2006, Karen #2440.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Ann #31 in 1955, Karen #1 in 1963.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1970: Ann #97, Karen #2.

  • New Zealand · Girls16 shared years, 1954–1969

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

    Highest recorded here: Ann #39 in 1955, Karen #1 in 1957.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1969: Ann #92, Karen #3.

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 Karen

Pairs where Karen 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand'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 Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1960s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1960 and 1969.

The 1960s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ann, Karen
FieldAnnKaren
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025)Norway · Girls #442 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ann has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Karen.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

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

Karen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #70 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 recorded1952–1986

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls