Namewise

Ann vs May

Ann and Maycompared 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 2023, Ann was ranked #404 and May #422 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ann was ranked #443 and May #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ann was ranked #2006 and May #610 among girls in England and Wales.

Ann and May over time

Ann and May appear together in 3 published lists, across 139 years of shared records. Ann held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, May 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 2 of those lists, May 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.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls75 shared years, 1945–2023

    Ann held the stronger position in 59 of those years, May in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #10 in 1967, May #24 in 1956.

    The order changed in 2023: Ann moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #404 and #309; by 2023 that had become #404 and #422.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Ann #404, May #422.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1967–2025

    Ann held the stronger position in 26 of those years, May in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #4 in 1967, May #262 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ann #443, May #718.

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

    Ann held the stronger position in 0 of those years, May in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #539 in 1996, May #325 in 2007.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ann #2006, May #610.

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 May

Pairs where May 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 Norway lists

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

Norway 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, May
FieldAnnMay
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables11
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025)Norway · Girls #481 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ann and May both have 1 syllable.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.

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

May

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #43 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: #24 among girls in Norway, in 1956 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #610 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls