Anne vs Lena
Anne and Lenacompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Anne was ranked #358 and Lena #144 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anne was ranked #159 and Lena #294 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #638 and Lena #207 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anne was ranked #544 and Lena #266 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #1036 and Lena #283 among girls in England and Wales.
Anne and Lena over time
Anne and Lena appear together in 3 published lists, across 172 years of shared records. Anne held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Lena 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 3 of those lists, and Lena 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anne and Lena changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #159 and #294.
- Longest-running competitions
Anne and Lena were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #159 and #294.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 78 of those years, Lena in 3.
Highest recorded here: Anne #1 in 1945, Lena #20 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #159, Lena #294.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Lena in 19.
Highest recorded here: Anne #4 in 1965, Lena #71 in 2012.
The order changed in 2006: Lena moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #398 and #523; by 2006 that had become #303 and #303.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #544, Lena #266.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anne held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lena in 22.
Highest recorded here: Anne #432 in 1996, Lena #128 in 2013.
The order changed in 2003: Lena moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #547 and #631; by 2003 that had become #712 and #637.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anne #1036, Lena #283.
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 | Lena |
|---|---|---|
| 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 short form of names ending in '-lena', such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena — widely used independently. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via French transmission | Used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditions |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑː.nə/ | /ˈleː.na/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #266 (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 Lena is recorded with a Used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditions origin.
- Anne and Lena both have 2 syllables.
- Anne's recorded meaning differs from Lena'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 Lena 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
Lena
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #346 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: #20 among girls in Norway, in 1969 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #294 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls