Anna vs Stephanie
Anna and Stephaniecompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2018, Anna was ranked #12 and Stephanie #527 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Anna was ranked #14 and Stephanie #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2005, Anna was ranked #33 and Stephanie #99 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2010, Anna was ranked #82 and Stephanie #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Stephanie #811 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Stephanie over time
Anna and Stephanie appear together in 6 published lists, across 240 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Stephanie 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.
Stephanie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Anna in 2. 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 2010, Stephanie moved ahead of Anna in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #56 and #84 the year before became #82 and #73.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Stephanie changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1965 and 2010, ending at #82 and #73.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna and Stephanie averaged 29.7 places apart, ending at #82 and #73.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Stephanie were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 46 years, from 1965 to 2010, ending at #82 and #73.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #48 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #125 and #811.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Stephanie in 12.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Stephanie #23 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Stephanie #294.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls46 shared years, 1965–2010
Anna held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Stephanie in 25.
Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Stephanie #5 in 1994.
The order changed in 2010: Stephanie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #56 and #84; by 2010 that had become #82 and #73.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Anna #82, Stephanie #73.
New Zealand · Girls43 shared years, 1956–2005
Anna held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Stephanie in 12.
Highest recorded here: Anna #3 in 1980, Stephanie #11 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Anna #33, Stephanie #99.
Norway · Girls38 shared years, 1966–2018
Anna held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #6 in 1995, Stephanie #178 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Anna #12, Stephanie #527.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Stephanie #811.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2023
Anna held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Stephanie #50 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Anna #14, Stephanie #391.
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 | Stephanie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈstɛf.ə.ni/ |
| 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 #294 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 65/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 70/100 |
| 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 Stephanie is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Anna has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Stephanie.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie'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
Stephanie
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–2010
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls