Anne vs Jennifer
Anne and Jennifercompared 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 Jennifer #12 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1972, Anne was ranked #91 and Jennifer #30 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2020, Anne was ranked #127 and Jennifer #493 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Anne was ranked #358 and Jennifer #269 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #638 and Jennifer #384 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anne was ranked #544 and Jennifer #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #1036 and Jennifer #483 among girls in England and Wales.
Anne and Jennifer over time
Anne and Jennifer appear together in 6 published lists, across 201 years of shared records. Jennifer 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.
Anne reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Jennifer in 1. 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 1975, Jennifer moved ahead of Anne in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #13 and #20 the year before became #16 and #13.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anne and Jennifer averaged 31.7 places apart, ending at #80 and #12.
- Longest-running competitions
Anne and Jennifer were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 55 years, from 1946 to 2020, ending at #127 and #493.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Anne #432 in 1996, Jennifer #54 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Jennifer in 49.
Highest recorded here: Anne #4 in 1965, Jennifer #4 in 1981.
The order changed in 1975: Jennifer moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #13 and #20; by 1975 that had become #16 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #544, Jennifer #413.
Norway · Girls55 shared years, 1946–2020
Anne held the stronger position in 55 of those years, Jennifer in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anne #1 in 1946, Jennifer #187 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Anne #127, Jennifer #493.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jennifer in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anne #432 in 1996, Jennifer #54 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anne #1036, Jennifer #483.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1952–1976
Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jennifer in 25.
Highest recorded here: Anne #11 in 1954, Jennifer #1 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1976: Anne #80, Jennifer #12.
New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 1954–1972
Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jennifer in 19.
Highest recorded here: Anne #13 in 1954, Jennifer #4 in 1957.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Anne #91, Jennifer #30.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1998–2015
Anne held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Jennifer in 10.
Highest recorded here: Anne #225 in 2003, Jennifer #64 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Anne #358, Jennifer #269.
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 | Jennifer |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), combining 'gwyn' and 'hwyfar'. Confined mainly to Cornwall until George Bernard Shaw's 1906 play The Doctor's Dilemma sparked wider adoption. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via French transmission | Welsh, via Cornish transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑː.nə/ | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Ann, Ane, Anna | 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 #159 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| 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 Jennifer is recorded with a Welsh, via Cornish transmission origin.
- Anne has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jennifer.
- Anne's recorded meaning differs from Jennifer'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 Jennifer 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
Jennifer
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #331 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls