Anna vs Anne
Anna and Annecompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Anna was ranked #6 and Anne #358 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Anne #159 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Anne #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1972, Anna was ranked #40 and Anne #91 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1976, Anna was ranked #53 and Anne #80 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Anne #638 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Anne #1036 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Anne over time
Anna and Anne appear together in 6 published lists, across 221 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Anne reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 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.
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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna moved into the top 50 at #49 in 1969 as Anne fell out of it to #59, having been #47 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1969, Anna moved ahead of Anne in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #56 and #47 the year before became #49 and #59.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna and Anne averaged 34.9 places apart, ending at #53 and #80.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Anne were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #23 and #159.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Anne in 48.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Anne #1 in 1945.
The order changed in 1993: Anna moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #19 and #17; by 1993 that had become #15 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Anne #159.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Anne in 28.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Anne #4 in 1965.
The order changed in 1992: Anna moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #62 and #58; by 1992 that had become #69 and #78.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Anne #544.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Anne in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Anne #432 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Anne #1036.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1954–1976
Anna held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Anne in 15.
Highest recorded here: Anna #49 in 1969, Anne #11 in 1954.
The order changed in 1969: Anna moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #56 and #47; by 1969 that had become #49 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 1976: Anna #53, Anne #80.
New Zealand · Girls15 shared years, 1956–1972
Anna held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Anne in 10.
Highest recorded here: Anna #40 in 1972, Anne #16 in 1956.
The order changed in 1968: Anna moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #53 and #51; by 1968 that had become #45 and #56.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Anna #40, Anne #91.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1998–2015
Anna held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Anne in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #6 in 2015, Anne #225 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Anna #6, Anne #358.
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 | Anna | Anne |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | 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. | The 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. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Hebrew, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈɑː.nə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Ann, Ane, Anna |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) | Norway · Girls #159 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin, while Anne is recorded with a Hebrew, via French transmission origin.
- Anna and Anne both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Anne's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Anna 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
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
Anne
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #159 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls