Anna vs Louise
Anna and Louisecompared 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 2017, Anna was ranked #5 and Louise #296 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Louise #59 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Louise #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1994, Anna was ranked #30 and Louise #100 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Louise #476 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1995, Anna was ranked #57 and Louise #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Louise #952 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Louise over time
Anna and Louise appear together in 6 published lists, across 258 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Louise in 1.
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.
Louise reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Anna 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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna moved into the top 50 at #47 in 1985 as Louise fell out of it to #54, having been #44 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1997, Anna moved ahead of Louise in England and Wales · Girls — #47 and #44 the year before became #40 and #45.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 40 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna and Louise averaged 23.8 places apart, ending at #57 and #100.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Louise were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 40 years, from 1954 to 1995, ending at #57 and #100.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Anna #3 in 1980, Louise #27 in 1980.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #44 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #125 and #952.
List by list
Norway · Girls69 shared years, 1946–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 69 of those years, Louise in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Louise #59 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Louise #59.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Louise in 28.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Louise #5 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Louise #213.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls40 shared years, 1954–1995
Anna held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Louise in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Louise #23 in 1967.
The order changed in 1985: Anna moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #45 and #44; by 1985 that had become #47 and #54.
Most recent shared year, 1995: Anna #57, Louise #100.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1956–1994
Anna held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Louise in 13.
Highest recorded here: Anna #3 in 1980, Louise #27 in 1980.
The order changed in 1971: Anna moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #48 and #39; by 1971 that had become #43 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 1994: Anna #30, Louise #100.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Louise in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Louise #44 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Anna moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #47 and #44; by 1997 that had become #40 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Louise #952.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2017
Anna held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Louise in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Louise #33 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Anna #5, Louise #296.
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 | Louise |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The French feminine form of Louis, from Germanic elements 'hlud' (famous) and 'wig' (warrior) — 'famous warrior'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Germanic, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /lu.ˈiz/ |
| 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 #59 (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 Louise is recorded with a Germanic, via French transmission origin.
- Anna and Louise both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Louise'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
Louise
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #379 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1980 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #59 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls