Anna vs Dervla
Anna and Dervlacompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Anna was ranked #12 and Dervla #651 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2012, Anna was ranked #17 and Dervla #383 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2016, Anna was ranked #73 and Dervla #5785 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Dervla over time
Anna and Dervla appear together in 3 published lists, across 74 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Dervla in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Dervla reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 49 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Anna rose about as far as Dervla fell — from #36 and #380 in 1966 to #12 and #651 in 2017.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Dervla were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 49 years, from 1966 to 2017, ending at #12 and #651.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1966–2017
Anna held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Dervla in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Dervla #235 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Anna #12, Dervla #651.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2012
Anna held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Dervla in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #9 in 2005, Dervla #161 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Anna #17, Dervla #383.
England and Wales · Girls11 shared years, 1996–2016
Anna held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Dervla in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Dervla #1666 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Anna #73, Dervla #5785.
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 | Dervla |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #651 (2017) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anna has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission); Dervla does not have one recorded yet.
- Anna and Dervla both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Anna; Dervla 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
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
Dervla
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #380 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2012
Highest recorded position: #161 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2012).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2017
Most recently recorded at #651 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2017.
Republic of Ireland · Girls