Namewise

Anna vs Ashleigh

Anna and Ashleighcompared 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 2016, Anna was ranked #4 and Ashleigh #440 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Anna was ranked #21 and Ashleigh #764 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2005, Anna was ranked #33 and Ashleigh #72 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2005, Anna was ranked #61 and Ashleigh #87 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Anna was ranked #142 and Ashleigh #2788 among girls in England and Wales.

Anna and Ashleigh over time

Anna and Ashleigh appear together in 5 published lists, across 124 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ashleigh in 1.

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

Ashleigh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Anna in 2. 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 Ashleigh changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1985 and 2005, ending at #61 and #87.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna and Ashleigh averaged 23.4 places apart, ending at #61 and #87.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 37 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Anna rose about as far as Ashleigh fell — from #52 and #417 in 1971 to #21 and #764 in 2021.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Anna and Ashleigh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #142 and #2788.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls37 shared years, 1971–2021

    Anna held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Ashleigh in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Ashleigh #162 in 1995.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #21, Ashleigh #764.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Ashleigh #58 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #142, Ashleigh #2788.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1985–2005

    Anna held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Ashleigh in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Ashleigh #13 in 1993.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Anna #61, Ashleigh #87.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1986–2005

    Anna held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Ashleigh in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #10 in 1987, Ashleigh #8 in 1992.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Anna #33, Ashleigh #72.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2016

    Anna held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Ashleigh in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Ashleigh #87 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Anna #4, Ashleigh #440.

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 Ashleigh

Pairs where Ashleigh 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 — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

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, Ashleigh
FieldAnnaAshleigh
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, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #23 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2788 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10053/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

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

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

Ashleigh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #417 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 recorded1986–2005

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1992 (recorded 1986–2005).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2788 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls