Anna vs Emilie
Anna and Emiliecompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Emilie #16 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Emilie #288 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Emilie #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Emilie #176 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Emilie #837 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Emilie over time
Anna and Emilie appear together in 4 published lists, across 137 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Emilie in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Emilie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Anna 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 2009, Emilie moved ahead of Anna in Norway · Girls — #10 and #12 the year before became #8 and #5.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Emilie were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 49 years, from 1958 to 2025, ending at #23 and #16.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Anna #4 in 2016, Emilie #136 in 2015.
List by list
Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1958–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Emilie in 26.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Emilie #1 in 1999.
The order changed in 2009: Emilie moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #10 and #12; by 2009 that had become #8 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Emilie #16.
Republic of Ireland · Girls38 shared years, 1982–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Emilie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Emilie #236 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Emilie #608.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Emilie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Emilie #232 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Emilie #837.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Emilie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Emilie #136 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Emilie #288.
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 | Emilie |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily). |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Latin, via German/Scandinavian transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈeh.mee.lee.eh/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Emilia, Emelie, Mille, Milly |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) | Norway · Girls #16 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin, while Emilie is recorded with a Latin, via German/Scandinavian transmission origin.
- Anna has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Emilie.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Emilie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
- The available evidence gives Anna a "medium" Data Confidence level and Emilie a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Emilie
Popularity journey
First recorded1958
First recorded at #383 among girls in Norway in 1958 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1958–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1999 (recorded 1958–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #16 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls