Anna vs Natalie
Anna and Nataliecompared 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 2021, Anna was ranked #9 and Natalie #350 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Natalie #269 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Natalie #381 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Natalie #541 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2014, Anna was ranked #59 and Natalie #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Anna was ranked #69 and Natalie #84 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Natalie #503 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Natalie over time
Anna and Natalie appear together in 6 published lists, across 258 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Natalie in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Natalie 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 England and Wales · Girls, Anna moved into the top 50 at #40 in 1997 as Natalie fell out of it to #51, having been #42 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1997, Anna moved ahead of Natalie in England and Wales · Girls — #47 and #42 the year before became #40 and #51.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Natalie changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1964 and 2014, ending at #59 and #93.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 49 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna and Natalie averaged 23.6 places apart, ending at #59 and #93.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Natalie were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 49 years, from 1964 to 2014, ending at #59 and #93.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Anna #4 in 2007, Natalie #69 in 2005.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #42 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #125 and #503.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Natalie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Natalie #76 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Natalie #381.
Norway · Girls54 shared years, 1968–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Natalie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Natalie #69 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Natalie #269.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls49 shared years, 1964–2014
Anna held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Natalie in 42.
Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Natalie #9 in 1976.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Anna #59, Natalie #93.
New Zealand · Girls42 shared years, 1965–2014
Anna held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Natalie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #3 in 1980, Natalie #16 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Anna #69, Natalie #84.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Natalie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Natalie #42 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Anna moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #47 and #42; by 1997 that had become #40 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Natalie #503.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Natalie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Natalie #66 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #9, Natalie #350.
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 | Natalie |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From the Roman names Natalis/Natalia, from Latin 'natalis' ('relating to birth, birthday') — connecting the name to Christmas Day as Jesus's traditional birthday. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈnæt.ə.li/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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 #269 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| 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 Natalie is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Anna has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Natalie.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Natalie'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
Natalie
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2014
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1964–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #269 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls