Anna vs Sophie
Anna and Sophiecompared 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 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #99 and Sophie #12 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Anna was ranked #85 and Sophie #20 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #23 and Sophie #178 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Sophie #50 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Sophie over time
Anna and Sophie appear together in 6 published lists, across 243 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Anna in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 1988, Sophie moved ahead of Anna in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #42 and #50 the year before became #50 and #41.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Sophie changed places 8 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #19 and #14.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Anna and Sophie averaged 53.1 places apart, ending at #125 and #50.
- Mirrored each other
Over 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Sophie rose about as far as Anna fell — from #47 and #62 in 1985 to #85 and #20 in 2021.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Sophie were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 37 years, from 1985 to 2021, ending at #85 and #20.
List by list
Norway · Girls56 shared years, 1960–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 56 of those years, Sophie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2007, Sophie #106 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #23, Sophie #178.
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1967–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Sophie in 32.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 1995: Sophie moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #49 and #58; by 1995 that had become #47 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Sophie #6.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls37 shared years, 1985–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Sophie in 34.
Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Sophie #5 in 2004.
The order changed in 1988: Sophie moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #42 and #50; by 1988 that had become #50 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #85, Sophie #20.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1984–2021
Anna held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sophie in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anna #10 in 1984, Sophie #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 1992: Sophie moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #16 and #39; by 1992 that had become #22 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anna #99, Sophie #12.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Sophie #50.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sophie in 22.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Sophie #14.
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 | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The French form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Anna and Sophie both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Sophie'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
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls