Namewise

Anne vs Elizabeth

Anne and Elizabethcompared 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1976, Anne was ranked #80 and Elizabeth #20 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1972, Anne was ranked #91 and Elizabeth #33 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Anne was ranked #1110 and Elizabeth #74 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Anne was ranked #544 and Elizabeth #76 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2015, Anne was ranked #358 and Elizabeth #99 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Anne was ranked #638 and Elizabeth #113 among girls in Scotland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2024, Anne was ranked #150 and Elizabeth #484 among girls in Norway.

Anne and Elizabeth over time

Anne and Elizabeth appear together in 6 published lists, across 226 years of shared records. Elizabeth held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Anne 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 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 1983, Elizabeth moved ahead of Anne in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #22 and #30 the year before became #27 and #25.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Anne and Elizabeth changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1976, ending at #80 and #20.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anne and Elizabeth averaged 20.7 places apart, ending at #80 and #20.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Anne and Elizabeth were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1110 and #74.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Anne #432 in 1996, Elizabeth #26 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #5 and #6 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #544 and #76.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls79 shared years, 1945–2024

    Anne held the stronger position in 79 of those years, Elizabeth in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #1 in 1945, Elizabeth #154 in 1968.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Anne #150, Elizabeth #484.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Anne held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Elizabeth in 56.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #4 in 1965, Elizabeth #5 in 1969.

    The order changed in 1983: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #22 and #30; by 1983 that had become #27 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #544, Elizabeth #76.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Elizabeth in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #432 in 1996, Elizabeth #26 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #1110, Elizabeth #74.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1952–1976

    Anne held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Elizabeth in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #11 in 1954, Elizabeth #10 in 1952.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1976: Anne #80, Elizabeth #20.

  • New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 1954–1972

    Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Elizabeth in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #13 in 1954, Elizabeth #7 in 1954.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Anne #91, Elizabeth #33.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1998–2015

    Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Elizabeth in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #225 in 2003, Elizabeth #61 in 1999.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Anne #358, Elizabeth #99.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Anne

Pairs where Anne shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Elizabeth

Pairs where Elizabeth shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Anne, Elizabeth
FieldAnneElizabeth
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe French form of Anna, from the Hebrew root 'hanan' carrying the sense of grace or favour. Imported to England in the 13th century but not popular until three centuries later.From the Greek Elisabet, from Hebrew Elisheva, combining 'el' (God) with 'shava' ('oath') — 'my God is an oath'. Appears in the Old Testament as Elisheba, Aaron's wife, and in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist.
OriginHebrew, via French transmissionBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈɑː.nə//ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ/
Syllables24
Common variants / nicknamesAnn, Ane, AnnaNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #159 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #74 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10065/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Anne is recorded with a Hebrew, via French transmission origin, while Elizabeth is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Anne has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Elizabeth.
  • Anne's recorded meaning differs from Elizabeth's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Anne a "high" Data Confidence level and Elizabeth a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Anne

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #1 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1110 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Elizabeth

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #341 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #74 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls