Anne vs Josefine
Anne and Josefinecompared 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 Josefine #24 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2023, Anne was ranked #1640 and Josefine #5687 among girls in England and Wales.
Anne and Josefine over time
Anne and Josefine appear together in 2 published lists, across 58 years of shared records. Anne held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Josefine in 0.
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 2 of those lists, and Josefine 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 2009, Josefine moved ahead of Anne in Norway · Girls — #77 and #83 the year before became #97 and #76.
- Longest-running competitions
Anne and Josefine were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 45 years, from 1975 to 2025, ending at #159 and #24.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Anne #486 in 1998, Josefine #3225 in 1999.
List by list
Norway · Girls45 shared years, 1975–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Josefine in 18.
Highest recorded here: Anne #2 in 1975, Josefine #24 in 2025.
The order changed in 2009: Josefine moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #77 and #83; by 2009 that had become #97 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #159, Josefine #24.
England and Wales · Girls13 shared years, 1998–2023
Anne held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Josefine in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anne #486 in 1998, Josefine #3225 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Anne #1640, Josefine #5687.
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 | Josefine |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Hebrew, via French transmission | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑː.nə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| 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, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #159 (2025) | Norway · Girls #24 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Anne has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via French transmission); Josefine does not have one recorded yet.
- Anne has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Josefine.
- A meaning is recorded for Anne; Josefine doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
- The available evidence gives Anne a "high" Data Confidence level and Josefine 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
Josefine
Popularity journey
First recorded1975
First recorded at #606 among girls in Norway in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1975–2025
Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in Norway, in 2025 (recorded 1975–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls