Anna vs Lucy
Anna and Lucycompared 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.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #99 and Lucy #16 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Lucy #16 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Lucy #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Lucy #296 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Lucy #28 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #85 and Lucy #30 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Lucy #123 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Lucy over time
Anna and Lucy appear together in 6 published lists, across 230 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Anna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Lucy 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 1992, Lucy moved ahead of Anna in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #41 and #44 the year before became #45 and #40.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Lucy changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #19 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Lucy averaged 31.4 places apart, ending at #125 and #123.
- Mirrored each other
Over 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Lucy rose about as far as Anna fell — from #47 and #89 in 1985 to #85 and #30 in 2021.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Lucy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 37 years, from 1985 to 2021, ending at #85 and #30.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Lucy in 20.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Lucy #3 in 2016.
The order changed in 2019: Lucy moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #12 and #13; by 2019 that had become #19 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Lucy #16.
New Zealand · Girls40 shared years, 1979–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Lucy in 23.
Highest recorded here: Anna #6 in 1979, Lucy #12 in 2006.
The order changed in 2002: Lucy moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #19 and #21; by 2002 that had become #23 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #99, Lucy #16.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls37 shared years, 1985–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lucy in 30.
Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Lucy #20 in 2012.
The order changed in 1992: Lucy moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #41 and #44; by 1992 that had become #45 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #85, Lucy #30.
Norway · Girls34 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Lucy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Lucy #212 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Lucy #296.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lucy in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Lucy #7 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Lucy #123.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Lucy in 11.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Lucy #4 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Lucy #38.
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 | Lucy |
|---|---|---|
| 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 English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈluː.si/ |
| 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 #16 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin, while Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Anna and Lucy both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Lucy'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
Lucy
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #523 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls