Anne vs Ida
Anne and Idacompared 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 2025, Anne was ranked #159 and Ida #37 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #1036 and Ida #337 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #638 and Ida #384 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anne was ranked #544 and Ida #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Anne and Ida over time
Anne and Ida appear together in 3 published lists, across 131 years of shared records. Ida held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Anne in 1.
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.
Anne reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Ida 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 1985, Ida moved ahead of Anne in Norway · Girls — #3 and #6 the year before became #9 and #2.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anne and Ida changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #544 and #885.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ida rose about as far as Anne fell — from #432 and #3126 in 1996 to #1036 and #337 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Anne and Ida were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #159 and #37.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Anne #4 in 1965, Ida #325 in 1965.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Ida in 41.
Highest recorded here: Anne #1 in 1945, Ida #1 in 1988.
The order changed in 1985: Ida moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #3 and #6; by 1985 that had become #9 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #159, Ida #37.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anne held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Ida in 16.
Highest recorded here: Anne #432 in 1996, Ida #257 in 2021.
The order changed in 2009: Ida moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #845 and #937; by 2009 that had become #821 and #726.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anne #1036, Ida #337.
Republic of Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1964–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ida in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anne #4 in 1965, Ida #325 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #544, Ida #885.
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 | Anne | Ida |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The 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. | Commonly traced to a Germanic element possibly meaning 'work' or 'labour'. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via French transmission | Germanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑː.nə/ | /ˈiːdɑ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Ann, Ane, Anna | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #159 (2025) | Norway · Girls #37 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Anne is recorded with a Hebrew, via French transmission origin, while Ida is recorded with a Germanic, used across Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition origin.
- Anne and Ida both have 2 syllables.
- Anne's recorded meaning differs from Ida's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
- The available evidence gives Anne a "high" Data Confidence level and Ida 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
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
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #159 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Ida
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #204 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1988 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #37 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls