Namewise

Anna vs Aoibheann

Anna and Aoibheanncompared 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 Aoibheann #93 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Aoibheann #180 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Aoibheann #4843 among girls in England and Wales.

Anna and Aoibheann over time

Anna and Aoibheann appear together in 3 published lists, across 102 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Aoibheann in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Aoibheann reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Anna 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.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Anna and Aoibheann were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 54 years, from 1971 to 2025, ending at #26 and #180.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Anna #4 in 2016, Aoibheann #50 in 2015.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1971–2025

    Anna held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Aoibheann in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Aoibheann #59 in 2012.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Aoibheann #180.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Anna held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Aoibheann in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Aoibheann #50 in 2015.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Aoibheann #93.

  • England and Wales · Girls20 shared years, 2002–2024

    Anna held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Aoibheann in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #37 in 2002, Aoibheann #1940 in 2019.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Aoibheann #4843.

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 Anna

Pairs where Anna shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Anna, Aoibheann
FieldAnnaAoibheann
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA 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.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmissionNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈa.na/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #23 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #180 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Anna has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission); Aoibheann does not have one recorded yet.
  • Anna and Aoibheann both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Anna; Aoibheann doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Anna

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1956–2021

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1980 (recorded 1956–2021).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #23 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Aoibheann

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #466 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #50 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #180 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls