Anna vs Grace
Anna and Gracecompared 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 Grace #1 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Grace #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #85 and Grace #7 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Grace #13 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #99 and Grace #18 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Grace #503 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Grace #25 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Grace over time
Anna and Grace appear together in 6 published lists, across 238 years of shared records. Grace held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Anna in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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 4 of those lists, Grace in 2. 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 1992, Grace moved ahead of Anna in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #41 and #46 the year before became #45 and #41.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Grace changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #26 and #4.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Grace averaged 50.7 places apart, ending at #125 and #25.
- Mirrored each other
Over 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Grace rose about as far as Anna fell — from #50 and #95 in 1988 to #85 and #7 in 2021.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Grace were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 34 years, from 1988 to 2021, ending at #85 and #7.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Grace in 36.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Grace #1 in 2020.
The order changed in 2004: Grace moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #22 and #23; by 2004 that had become #26 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Grace #4.
Norway · Girls51 shared years, 1946–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Grace in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2014, Grace #321 in 1959.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Grace #503.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls34 shared years, 1988–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Grace in 30.
Highest recorded here: Anna #41 in 1991, Grace #7 in 2018.
The order changed in 1992: Grace moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #41 and #46; by 1992 that had become #45 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #85, Grace #7.
New Zealand · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Grace in 27.
Highest recorded here: Anna #10 in 1987, Grace #5 in 2000.
The order changed in 1994: Grace moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #23 and #34; by 1994 that had become #30 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #99, Grace #18.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Grace in 28.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Grace #1 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Grace #25.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Grace in 19.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Grace #1 in 2013.
The order changed in 2006: Grace moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #9 and #22; by 2006 that had become #20 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Grace #1.
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 | Grace |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Grace, favour (the English virtue word, used directly as a name). |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | English (virtue name), from Latin gratia |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈɡɹeɪs/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Gracie |
| 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 #4 (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 | high |
What the data shows
- Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin, while Grace is recorded with a English (virtue name), from Latin gratia origin.
- Anna and Grace both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Grace's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Anna a "medium" Data Confidence level and Grace 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
Grace
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #393 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2006 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls