Namewise

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 2025, Anna was ranked #142 and Ellie #119 among girls in England and Wales.

Anna and Ellie over time

Anna and Ellie appear together in 6 published lists, across 142 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 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Ellie averaged 30.0 places apart, ending at #142 and #119.

  • 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 England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #142 and #119.

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 · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

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

    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, 2025: Anna #142, Ellie #119.

  • 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.

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 Ellie

Pairs where Ellie 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of 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.

Republic of 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, Ellie
FieldAnnaEllie
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
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.A diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmissionVarious, diminutive form
Pronunciation/ˈa.na//ˈɛl.i/
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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #23 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #15 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  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

Ellie

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #119 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls