Anna vs Hannah
Anna and Hannahcompared 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 Hannah #57 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Hannah #21 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Hannah #116 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #85 and Hannah #39 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Hannah #66 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #99 and Hannah #75 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Hannah #107 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Hannah over time
Anna and Hannah appear together in 6 published lists, across 250 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Anna in 2.
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.
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 1987, Hannah moved ahead of Anna in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #35 and #60 the year before became #42 and #41.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Hannah changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #26 and #21.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Hannah averaged 26.6 places apart, ending at #125 and #107.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Hannah were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 39 years, from 1983 to 2021, ending at #85 and #39.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Anna #4 in 2007, Hannah #25 in 2005.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Hannah in 33.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Hannah #5 in 2019.
The order changed in 2014: Hannah moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #12 and #14; by 2014 that had become #16 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Hannah #21.
Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1976–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Hannah in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Hannah #25 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Hannah #116.
New Zealand · Girls43 shared years, 1978–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Hannah in 32.
Highest recorded here: Anna #3 in 1980, Hannah #2 in 1996.
The order changed in 1989: Hannah moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #10 and #12; by 1989 that had become #17 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #99, Hannah #75.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls39 shared years, 1983–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Hannah in 35.
Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Hannah #8 in 1997.
The order changed in 1987: Hannah moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #35 and #60; by 1987 that had become #42 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #85, Hannah #39.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Hannah #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Hannah #107.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Hannah in 12.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Hannah #6 in 1998.
The order changed in 2009: Anna moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #14 and #10; by 2009 that had become #9 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Hannah #57.
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 | Hannah |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈhænə/ |
| 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 #21 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin, while Hannah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Anna and Hannah both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Hannah'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
Hannah
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #91 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1978–2023
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1996 (recorded 1978–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls