Anna vs Sheelagh
Anna and Sheelaghcompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 1987, Anna was ranked #71 and Sheelagh #446 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Anna and Sheelagh over time
Anna and Sheelagh appear together in 1 published list, across 20 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Sheelagh in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Anna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Sheelagh 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 1964–1987
Anna held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Sheelagh in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #30 in 1965, Sheelagh #243 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Anna #71, Sheelagh #446.
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 | Sheelagh |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #446 (1987) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 68/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anna has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission); Sheelagh does not have one recorded yet.
- Anna and Sheelagh both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Anna; Sheelagh doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in IE.
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
Sheelagh
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #245 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 recorded1964–1987
Highest recorded position: #243 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1970 (recorded 1964–1987).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent1987
Most recently recorded at #446 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1987.
Republic of Ireland · Girls