Anna vs Maya
Anna and Mayacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Maya #15 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Maya #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Maya #19 among girls in Scotland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Maya #86 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Maya #40 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #85 and Maya #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #99 and Maya #88 among girls in New Zealand.
Anna and Maya over time
Anna and Maya appear together in 6 published lists, across 175 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Maya 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.
Anna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Maya 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2010, Maya moved ahead of Anna in England and Wales · Girls — #64 and #66 the year before became #63 and #57.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Maya averaged 59.8 places apart, ending at #125 and #15.
- Mirrored each other
Over 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Maya rose about as far as Anna fell — from #54 and #92 in 2001 to #85 and #28 in 2021.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Maya were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 61 years, from 1961 to 2025, ending at #23 and #86.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Anna #26 in 2003, Maya #68 in 2004.
List by list
Norway · Girls61 shared years, 1961–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Maya in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Maya #66 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Maya #86.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Maya in 15.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Maya #15 in 2024.
The order changed in 2010: Maya moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #64 and #66; by 2010 that had become #63 and #57.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Maya #15.
Republic of Ireland · Girls29 shared years, 1997–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Maya in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Maya #17 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Maya #40.
Northern Ireland · Girls24 shared years, 1999–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Maya in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Maya #47 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Maya #47.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 2001–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Maya in 15.
Highest recorded here: Anna #48 in 2017, Maya #28 in 2021.
The order changed in 2014: Maya moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #62 and #63; by 2014 that had become #59 and #43.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #85, Maya #28.
New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 2003–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Maya in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anna #26 in 2003, Maya #68 in 2004.
The order changed in 2021: Maya moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #78 and #98; by 2021 that had become #99 and #88.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #99, Maya #88.
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 | Maya |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 #40 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission); Maya does not have one recorded yet.
- Anna has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Maya.
- A meaning is recorded for Anna; Maya 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
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
Maya
Popularity journey
First recorded1961
First recorded at #497 among girls in Norway in 1961 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #53 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls