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 2024, Anne was ranked #1036 and Joanne #2000 among girls in England and Wales.
Anne and Joanne over time
Anne and Joanne appear together in 5 published lists, across 139 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 Republic of Ireland · Girls for 58 years, from 1964 to 2022, ending at #502 and #747.
- 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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anne held the stronger position in 11 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, 2024: Anne #1036, Joanne #2000.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Anne | Joanne |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | 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. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via French transmission | English and French, from Hebrew via Greek Ioannes |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑː.nə/ | /d͡ʒoʊ.ˈæn/ |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #159 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #2000 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 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
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
Joanne
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1954–1986
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1969 (recorded 1954–1986).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls