Anna vs Annie
Anna and Anniecompared 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 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Annie #11 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Annie #214 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Annie #33 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Annie #87 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Annie #115 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Annie over time
Anna and Annie appear together in 4 published lists, across 200 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Annie in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Anna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Annie 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2022, Annie moved ahead of Anna in England and Wales · Girls — #97 and #112 the year before became #114 and #113.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Anna and Annie averaged 43.5 places apart, ending at #19 and #11.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Annie were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #23 and #214.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 81 of those years, Annie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Annie #151 in 1949.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Annie #214.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Annie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Annie #33 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Annie #33.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Annie in 3.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Annie #108 in 2016.
The order changed in 2022: Annie moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #97 and #112; by 2022 that had become #114 and #113.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Annie #115.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Annie in 3.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Annie #8 in 2022.
The order changed in 2022: Annie moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #9 and #18; by 2022 that had become #16 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Annie #11.
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 | Annie |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A diminutive of Anne, itself from the Hebrew root 'hanan' ('grace, favour') via Latin Anna. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | A diminutive of Anne, tracing to the Hebrew root 'hanan' via Latin Anna |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈæn.i/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #33 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin, while Annie is recorded with a A diminutive of Anne, tracing to the Hebrew root 'hanan' via Latin Anna origin.
- Anna and Annie both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Annie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
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
Annie
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #180 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #214 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls