Anna vs Mia
Anna and Miacompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #85 and Mia #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #99 and Mia #11 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Mia #11 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Mia #14 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Mia #20 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Mia #21 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Mia #26 among girls in Scotland.
Anna and Mia over time
Anna and Mia appear together in 6 published lists, across 207 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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 4 of those lists, Mia in 2. 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, Mia moved into the top 50 at #27 in 2001 as Anna fell out of it to #54, having been #41 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2001, Mia moved ahead of Anna in England and Wales · Girls — #31 and #43 the year before became #34 and #25.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Mia changed places 7 times in Norway · Girls between 1947 and 2025, ending at #23 and #21.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Mia averaged 55.5 places apart, ending at #125 and #14.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Mia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 69 years, from 1947 to 2025, ending at #23 and #21.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Anna #4 in 2016, Mia #14 in 2015.
List by list
Norway · Girls69 shared years, 1947–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Mia in 7.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Mia #8 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Mia #21.
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1971–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Mia in 16.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Mia #6 in 2012.
The order changed in 2011: Mia moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #13 and #20; by 2011 that had become #18 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Mia #11.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Mia in 24.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Mia #5 in 2019.
The order changed in 2001: Mia moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #31 and #43; by 2001 that had become #34 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Mia #14.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Mia in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Mia #14 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Mia #20.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Mia in 21.
Highest recorded here: Anna #41 in 2000, Mia #2 in 2008.
The order changed in 2001: Mia moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #41 and #68; by 2001 that had become #54 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #85, Mia #6.
New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 2001–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Mia in 17.
Highest recorded here: Anna #19 in 2001, Mia #7 in 2017.
The order changed in 2004: Mia moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #26 and #28; by 2004 that had become #40 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #99, Mia #11.
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 | Mia |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Directly a diminutive of Maria. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Scandinavian/Italian, via Maria |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈmiːə/ |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #5 (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 Mia is recorded with a Scandinavian/Italian, via Maria origin.
- Anna has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Mia.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Mia'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
Mia
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #357 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2008 (recorded 1997–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls