Namewise

Anna vs Aoife

Anna and Aoifecompared 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 Aoife #4 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Aoife #34 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Aoife #87 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Anna was ranked #142 and Aoife #192 among girls in England and Wales.

Anna and Aoife over time

Anna and Aoife appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Aoife in 1.

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

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

    Anna and Aoife changed places 8 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #19 and #4.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Anna and Aoife averaged 4.5 places apart, ending at #19 and #4.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Anna and Aoife were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #142 and #192.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Anna held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Aoife in 44.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Aoife #1 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Aoife #34.

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

    Anna held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Aoife in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Aoife #167 in 2015.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #142, Aoife #192.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Anna held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Aoife in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Aoife #4 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Aoife #4.

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.

Other comparisons involving Aoife

Pairs where Aoife 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland 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 Anna, Aoife
FieldAnnaAoife
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, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #23 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #34 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Anna has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission); Aoife does not have one recorded yet.
  • Anna and Aoife both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Anna; Aoife doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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 #142 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Aoife

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #206 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2000 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #192 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls