Anna vs Rebecca
Anna and Rebeccacompared 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 Rebecca #337 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Rebecca #485 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Rebecca #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2011, Anna was ranked #43 and Rebecca #85 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Rebecca #431 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2008, Anna was ranked #63 and Rebecca #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Rebecca #315 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Rebecca over time
Anna and Rebecca appear together in 6 published lists, across 270 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Rebecca in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Rebecca reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 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 2008, Anna moved ahead of Rebecca in England and Wales · Girls — #58 and #47 the year before became #64 and #66.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna and Rebecca averaged 35.2 places apart, ending at #63 and #94.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Rebecca were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 43 years, from 1966 to 2008, ending at #63 and #94.
List by list
Norway · Girls62 shared years, 1955–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Rebecca in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Rebecca #55 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Rebecca #485.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Rebecca in 25.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Rebecca #7 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Rebecca #141.
New Zealand · Girls46 shared years, 1966–2011
Anna held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Rebecca in 32.
Highest recorded here: Anna #3 in 1980, Rebecca #2 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Anna #43, Rebecca #85.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls43 shared years, 1966–2008
Anna held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Rebecca in 34.
Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Rebecca #1 in 1976.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Anna #63, Rebecca #94.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Rebecca in 12.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Rebecca #8 in 1996.
The order changed in 2008: Anna moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #58 and #47; by 2008 that had become #64 and #66.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Rebecca #315.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Rebecca in 8.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Rebecca #2 in 1999.
The order changed in 2007: Anna moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #20 and #18; by 2007 that had become #10 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Rebecca #337.
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 | Rebecca |
|---|---|---|
| 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 associated with concepts of 'joining', 'tying', or a 'team/yoke' — a binding or connecting sense, from a Semitic root about fastening things together. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /rəˈbɛkə/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #141 (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 Rebecca is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka origin.
- Anna has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Rebecca.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Rebecca'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
Rebecca
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #440 among girls in Norway in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2008
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1966–2008).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #485 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls