Anna vs Eva
Anna and Evacompared 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 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Eva #42 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Eva #22 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Eva #69 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #85 and Eva #51 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Eva #62 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Eva #54 among girls in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #99 and Eva #60 among girls in New Zealand.
Anna and Eva over time
Anna and Eva appear together in 6 published lists, across 236 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 2007, Eva moved ahead of Anna in England and Wales · Girls — #50 and #75 the year before became #58 and #52.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Eva changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #19 and #42.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Anna and Eva averaged 28.6 places apart, ending at #19 and #42.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Eva were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #23 and #22.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Eva in 33.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Eva #6 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Eva #22.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Eva in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Eva #37 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Eva #69.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Eva in 18.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Eva #24 in 2012.
The order changed in 2007: Eva moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #50 and #75; by 2007 that had become #58 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Eva #54.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Eva in 4.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Eva #8 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Eva #42.
New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 2002–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Eva in 15.
Highest recorded here: Anna #23 in 2002, Eva #19 in 2012.
The order changed in 2006: Eva moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #33 and #56; by 2006 that had become #39 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #99, Eva #60.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 2005–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Eva in 16.
Highest recorded here: Anna #48 in 2017, Eva #21 in 2011.
The order changed in 2006: Eva moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #61 and #78; by 2006 that had become #79 and #54.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #85, Eva #51.
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 | Eva |
|---|---|---|
| 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 form of Eve used across many languages, from the Hebrew root 'hawa'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈeh.vah/ |
| 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) | Norway · Girls #22 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 Eva is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Anna and Eva both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Eva'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
Eva
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #8 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in Norway, in 1952 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #80 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls