Anna vs Ellie
Anna and Elliecompared 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 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Ellie #15 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Ellie #18 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Ellie #33 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #99 and Ellie #31 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Ellie #35 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #85 and Ellie #42 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Ellie #88 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Ellie over time
Anna and Ellie appear together in 6 published lists, across 141 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 5 of those lists, Ellie 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 2010, Ellie moved ahead of Anna in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #56 and #83 the year before became #82 and #53.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Ellie changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #19 and #18.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Ellie averaged 30.2 places apart, ending at #125 and #88.
- Mirrored each other
Over 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ellie rose about as far as Anna fell — from #45 and #98 in 1992 to #85 and #42 in 2021.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Ellie were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 34 years, from 1987 to 2025, ending at #26 and #15.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Ellie in 8.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Ellie #6 in 2023.
The order changed in 2018: Ellie moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #12 and #20; by 2018 that had become #12 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Ellie #15.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ellie in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Ellie #2 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Ellie #88.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Ellie in 10.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Ellie #3 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Ellie #18.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1992–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Ellie in 14.
Highest recorded here: Anna #45 in 1992, Ellie #34 in 2019.
The order changed in 2010: Ellie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #56 and #83; by 2010 that had become #82 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #85, Ellie #42.
Norway · Girls19 shared years, 2005–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ellie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Ellie #30 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Ellie #33.
New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 2011–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Ellie in 8.
Highest recorded here: Anna #43 in 2011, Ellie #31 in 2021.
The order changed in 2014: Ellie moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #62 and #74; by 2014 that had become #69 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #99, Ellie #31.
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 | Ellie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Various, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈɛl.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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #15 (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 Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin.
- Anna and Ellie both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Ellie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Ellie
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls