Anna vs Niamh
Anna and Niamhcompared 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 Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2000, Anna was ranked #24 and Niamh #94 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Niamh #193 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Niamh over time
Anna and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Niamh 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.
Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Anna 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 2007, Anna moved ahead of Niamh in Northern Ireland · Girls — #20 and #12 the year before became #10 and #21.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Niamh averaged 28.0 places apart, ending at #125 and #193.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Niamh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #26 and #90.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Anna #31 in 2000, Niamh #40 in 2000.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Niamh in 40.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Niamh #2 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Niamh #90.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Niamh in 2.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Niamh #40 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Niamh #193.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Niamh in 10.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Niamh #5 in 2005.
The order changed in 2007: Anna moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #20 and #12; by 2007 that had become #10 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Niamh #47.
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 | Niamh |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Irish (mythological) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Neve, Níam |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (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 | high |
What the data shows
- Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
- Anna has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Niamh's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Anna a "medium" Data Confidence level and Niamh a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Niamh
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #109 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls