Anna vs Maria
Anna and Mariacompared 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 Maria #97 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1985, Anna was ranked #47 and Maria #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2016, Anna was ranked #75 and Maria #78 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Maria over time
Anna and Maria appear together in 6 published lists, across 283 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Maria in 2.
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.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 Republic of Ireland · Girls, Anna moved into the top 50 at #49 in 1994 as Maria fell out of it to #51, having been #50 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2016, Maria moved ahead of Anna in England and Wales · Girls — #70 and #73 the year before became #73 and #69.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Maria changed places 10 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #23 and #62.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Maria averaged 39.1 places apart, ending at #125 and #91.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Maria were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 31 years, from 1954 to 1985, ending at #47 and #95.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Maria in 46.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Maria #3 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Maria #62.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Maria in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Maria #23 in 1967.
The order changed in 1994: Anna moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #57 and #50; by 1994 that had become #49 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Maria #74.
New Zealand · Girls52 shared years, 1956–2016
Anna held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Maria in 13.
Highest recorded here: Anna #3 in 1980, Maria #21 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Anna #75, Maria #78.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1954–1985
Anna held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Maria in 23.
Highest recorded here: Anna #36 in 1980, Maria #13 in 1966.
The order changed in 1977: Anna moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #53 and #46; by 1977 that had become #40 and #46.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Anna #47, Maria #95.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Maria in 9.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order changed in 2016: Maria moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #70 and #73; by 2016 that had become #73 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Maria #91.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Maria in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Maria #49 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Maria #97.
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 | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| 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 #62 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Anna and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Maria'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
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls