Namewise

Anna vs Kelly

Anna and Kellycompared 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 2021, Anna was ranked #9 and Kelly #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2019, Anna was ranked #15 and Kelly #479 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Anna was ranked #23 and Kelly #404 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1998, Anna was ranked #32 and Kelly #89 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Kelly #790 among girls in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1995, Anna was ranked #57 and Kelly #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Anna was ranked #142 and Kelly #2006 among girls in England and Wales.

Anna and Kelly over time

Anna and Kelly appear together in 6 published lists, across 188 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Kelly in 1.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Kelly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Anna in none. 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Anna and Kelly changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1964 and 1995, ending at #57 and #99.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna and Kelly averaged 23.9 places apart, ending at #57 and #99.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Anna and Kelly were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #142 and #2006.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Anna #3 in 1980, Kelly #3 in 1978.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1969–2023

    Anna held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Kelly in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Kelly #35 in 1994.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Anna #23, Kelly #404.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

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

    Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Kelly #74 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #142, Kelly #2006.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls30 shared years, 1964–1995

    Anna held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Kelly in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Kelly #6 in 1979.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1995: Anna #57, Kelly #99.

  • New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1970–1998

    Anna held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Kelly in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #3 in 1980, Kelly #3 in 1978.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Anna #32, Kelly #89.

  • Norway · Girls28 shared years, 1967–2019

    Anna held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Kelly in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Kelly #380 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Anna #15, Kelly #479.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2021

    Anna held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Kelly in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Anna #6 in 2019, Kelly #101 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #9, Kelly #446.

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 Kelly

Pairs where Kelly 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 — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

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, Kelly
FieldAnnaKelly
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
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.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmissionNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈa.na/
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)England and Wales · Girls #2006 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Anna has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission); Kelly does not have one recorded yet.
  • Anna and Kelly both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Anna; Kelly doesn't have one written yet.
  • 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

Kelly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1970–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1978 (recorded 1970–1998).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2006 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls