Namewise

Anne vs Joanne

Anne and Joannecompared 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 1972, Anne was ranked #91 and Joanne #5 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1976, Anne was ranked #80 and Joanne #16 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2015, Anne was ranked #358 and Joanne #312 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Anne was ranked #502 and Joanne #747 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Anne was ranked #1110 and Joanne #1719 among girls in England and Wales.

Anne and Joanne over time

Anne and Joanne appear together in 5 published lists, across 140 years of shared records. Joanne held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Anne 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.

Anne reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Joanne 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 1959, Joanne moved ahead of Anne in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #21 and #27 the year before became #23 and #18.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Anne and Joanne changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2022, ending at #502 and #747.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anne and Joanne averaged 36.1 places apart, ending at #80 and #16.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Anne and Joanne were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1110 and #1719.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Anne #432 in 1996, Joanne #168 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2022

    Anne held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Joanne in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #4 in 1965, Joanne #29 in 1979.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Anne #502, Joanne #747.

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

    Anne held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Joanne in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #432 in 1996, Joanne #168 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2024: Anne moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #1640 and #1469; by 2024 that had become #1036 and #2000.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #1110, Joanne #1719.

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

    Anne held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Joanne in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #11 in 1954, Joanne #5 in 1970.

    The order changed in 1959: Joanne moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #21 and #27; by 1959 that had become #23 and #18.

    Most recent shared year, 1976: Anne #80, Joanne #16.

  • New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 1954–1972

    Anne held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Joanne in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #13 in 1954, Joanne #4 in 1969.

    The order changed in 1959: Joanne moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #23 and #27; by 1959 that had become #24 and #20.

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Anne #91, Joanne #5.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1998–2015

    Anne held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Joanne in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Anne #225 in 2003, Joanne #185 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Anne #358, Joanne #312.

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 Joanne

Pairs where Joanne 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

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, Joanne
FieldAnneJoanne
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.A variant of Joan/Johanne, ultimately from the same Hebrew-via-Greek-via-Old-French tradition as John (Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious') — sometimes also read as a blend of Jo and Anne.
OriginHebrew, via French transmissionEnglish and French, from Hebrew via Greek Ioannes
Pronunciation/ˈɑː.nə//d͡ʒoʊ.ˈæn/
Syllables22
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, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #159 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #1719 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Anne is recorded with a Hebrew, via French transmission origin, while Joanne is recorded with a English and French, from Hebrew via Greek Ioannes origin.
  • Anne and Joanne both have 2 syllables.
  • Anne's recorded meaning differs from Joanne's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Anne a "high" Data Confidence level and Joanne 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

Joanne

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #77 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1986

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1969 (recorded 1954–1986).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls