Anna vs Lily
Anna and Lilycompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Lily #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Lily #3 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Lily #4 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Lily #6 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #99 and Lily #7 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #85 and Lily #15 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Lily #123 among girls in Norway.
Anna and Lily over time
Anna and Lily appear together in 6 published lists, across 166 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 5 of those lists, Lily 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 2002, Lily moved ahead of Anna in England and Wales · Girls — #34 and #35 the year before became #37 and #28.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Lily changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1981 and 2025, ending at #26 and #1.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Lily averaged 54.5 places apart, ending at #125 and #3.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Lily were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1981 to 2025, ending at #26 and #1.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1981–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Lily in 12.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Lily #1 in 2025.
The order changed in 2019: Lily moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #12 and #15; by 2019 that had become #19 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Lily #1.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Lily in 23.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Lily #3 in 2011.
The order changed in 2002: Lily moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #34 and #35; by 2002 that had become #37 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Lily #3.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Lily in 5.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Lily #5 in 2011.
The order changed in 2022: Lily moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #9 and #14; by 2022 that had become #16 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Lily #6.
Norway · Girls26 shared years, 1994–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Lily in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Lily #90 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Lily #123.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Lily in 24.
Highest recorded here: Anna #41 in 2000, Lily #7 in 2010.
The order changed in 1998: Lily moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #68 and #78; by 1998 that had become #70 and #56.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #85, Lily #15.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1997–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Lily in 19.
Highest recorded here: Anna #19 in 2001, Lily #6 in 2008.
The order changed in 2002: Lily moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #19 and #27; by 2002 that had become #23 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #99, Lily #7.
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 | Lily |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From the English word for the lily flower. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | English (flower name) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈlɪli/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Lil, Lilah, Lillie, Lilly, Lilian |
| 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 #1 (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 | high |
What the data shows
- Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin, while Lily is recorded with a English (flower name) origin.
- Anna and Lily both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Lily'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 Lily 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
Lily
Popularity journey
First recorded1981
First recorded at #471 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1981–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025 (recorded 1981–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls