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Anne vs Lena

Anne and Lena compared 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 2025, Anne was ranked #1110 and Lena #288 among girls in England and Wales.

Anne and Lena over time

Norway · Girls
#1#3#10#30#100#30019452025Anne #159Lena #2941945: Anne #1, Lena #3461946: Anne #1, Lena #3331947: Anne #1, Lena #2691948: Anne #1, Lena #2931949: Anne #1, Lena #2891950: Anne #1, Lena #2871951: Anne #1, Lena #2251952: Anne #1, Lena #3691953: Anne #1, Lena #2501954: Anne #1, Lena #2201955: Anne #1, Lena #1991956: Anne #1, Lena #1481957: Anne #1, Lena #2011958: Anne #1, Lena #1481959: Anne #1, Lena #1241960: Anne #1, Lena #1091961: Anne #1, Lena #1121962: Anne #1, Lena #1041963: Anne #1, Lena #1131964: Anne #1, Lena #981965: Anne #1, Lena #841966: Anne #1, Lena #911967: Anne #1, Lena #941968: Anne #1, Lena #671969: Anne #1, Lena #201970: Anne #1, Lena #261971: Anne #1, Lena #301972: Anne #1, Lena #281973: Anne #1, Lena #361974: Anne #1, Lena #271975: Anne #2, Lena #231976: Anne #1, Lena #251977: Anne #2, Lena #451978: Anne #2, Lena #461979: Anne #1, Lena #701980: Anne #1, Lena #291981: Anne #1, Lena #381982: Anne #2, Lena #391983: Anne #2, Lena #391984: Anne #3, Lena #491985: Anne #9, Lena #541986: Anne #6, Lena #661987: Anne #8, Lena #671988: Anne #8, Lena #761989: Anne #10, Lena #721990: Anne #11, Lena #611991: Anne #15, Lena #631992: Anne #17, Lena #661993: Anne #22, Lena #721994: Anne #28, Lena #831995: Anne #24, Lena #901996: Anne #25, Lena #971997: Anne #31, Lena #841998: Anne #37, Lena #961999: Anne #44, Lena #1002000: Anne #42, Lena #1232001: Anne #52, Lena #1052002: Anne #47, Lena #1472003: Anne #55, Lena #1292004: Anne #63, Lena #1582005: Anne #73, Lena #1802006: Anne #63, Lena #1762007: Anne #80, Lena #1832008: Anne #77, Lena #1682009: Anne #97, Lena #1302010: Anne #104, Lena #1272011: Anne #100, Lena #1112012: Anne #97, Lena #1182013: Anne #89, Lena #1092014: Anne #102, Lena #852015: Anne #101, Lena #1462016: Anne #118, Lena #1302017: Anne #115, Lena #1252018: Anne #130, Lena #1122019: Anne #133, Lena #1312020: Anne #127, Lena #1332021: Anne #121, Lena #1572022: Anne #121, Lena #1842023: Anne #96, Lena #1892024: Anne #150, Lena #2232025: Anne #159, Lena #294

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Republic of Ireland · Girls
#10#30#100#30019642025Anne #544Lena #2661964: Anne #5, Lena #3721965: Anne #4, Lena #3251966: Anne #5, Lena #3801967: Anne #5, Lena #3931968: Anne #5, Lena #3271969: Anne #6, Lena #3031970: Anne #7, Lena #3261971: Anne #9, Lena #4661972: Anne #10, Lena #3521973: Anne #9, Lena #4491974: Anne #13, Lena #3001975: Anne #16, Lena #2971976: Anne #19, Lena #3291977: Anne #20, Lena #2831978: Anne #22, Lena #3151979: Anne #26, Lena #3031980: Anne #23, Lena #2451981: Anne #26, Lena #4231982: Anne #22, Lena #2861983: Anne #27, Lena #3471984: Anne #28, Lena #4591985: Anne #35, Lena #3251986: Anne #36, Lena #3881987: Anne #34, Lena #4461988: Anne #40, Lena #3441989: Anne #55, Lena #3151990: Anne #62, Lena #3361991: Anne #58, Lena #3191992: Anne #78, Lena #5231993: Anne #59, Lena #4481994: Anne #71, Lena #3291995: Anne #77, Lena #2961996: Anne #68, Lena #3331997: Anne #83, Lena #3631998: Anne #173, Lena #4981999: Anne #153, Lena #3222000: Anne #179, Lena #3782001: Anne #192, Lena #3692002: Anne #162, Lena #3522003: Anne #200, Lena #4032004: Anne #215, Lena #3172005: Anne #398, Lena #5232006: Anne #303, Lena #3032007: Anne #404, Lena #2122008: Anne #241, Lena #1892009: Anne #410, Lena #1192010: Anne #422, Lena #832011: Anne #612, Lena #852012: Anne #560, Lena #712013: Anne #357, Lena #782014: Anne #404, Lena #792015: Anne #431, Lena #782016: Anne #448, Lena #1012017: Anne #651, Lena #852018: Anne #336, Lena #1312019: Anne #457, Lena #1372020: Anne #495, Lena #1322021: Anne #586, Lena #1722022: Anne #502, Lena #1462023: Anne #316, Lena #2002024: Anne #631, Lena #2322025: Anne #544, Lena #266

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Anne and Lena over time

Anne and Lena appear together in 3 published lists, across 173 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.

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 · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Anne held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lena in 23.

    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, 2025: Anne #1110, Lena #288.

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 Lena

Pairs where Lena 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 — longest-running competitions.

All longest-running competitions →

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway 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, Lena
FieldAnneLena
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 short form of names ending in '-lena', such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena — widely used independently.
OriginHebrew, via French transmissionUsed across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditions
Pronunciation/ˈɑː.nə//ˈleː.na/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesAnn, Ane, AnnaNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandEngland and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #159 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #266 (2025)
Data Confidencehighmedium

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

  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

Lena

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in Norway, in 1969 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #288 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls