Anne vs Margaret
Anne and Margaretcompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1974, Anne was ranked #69 and Margaret #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1972, Anne was ranked #91 and Margaret #99 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2023, Anne was ranked #96 and Margaret #522 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anne was ranked #544 and Margaret #135 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #638 and Margaret #244 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Anne was ranked #358 and Margaret #312 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Anne was ranked #1110 and Margaret #413 among girls in England and Wales.
Anne and Margaret over time
Anne and Margaret appear together in 6 published lists, across 198 years of shared records. Margaret held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Anne 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
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 1966, Anne moved ahead of Margaret in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #26 and #24 the year before became #28 and #34.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anne and Margaret averaged 9.1 places apart, ending at #69 and #93.
- Longest-running competitions
Anne and Margaret were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1110 and #413.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Anne #11 in 1954, Margaret #3 in 1952.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #5 and #3 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #544 and #135.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Margaret in 60.
Highest recorded here: Anne #4 in 1965, Margaret #2 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #544, Margaret #135.
Norway · Girls53 shared years, 1945–2023
Anne held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Margaret in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anne #1 in 1945, Margaret #108 in 1953.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Anne #96, Margaret #522.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Margaret in 30.
Highest recorded here: Anne #432 in 1996, Margaret #357 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #1110, Margaret #413.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1952–1974
Anne held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Margaret in 13.
Highest recorded here: Anne #11 in 1954, Margaret #3 in 1952.
The order changed in 1966: Anne moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #26 and #24; by 1966 that had become #28 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 1974: Anne #69, Margaret #93.
New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 1954–1972
Anne held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Margaret in 17.
Highest recorded here: Anne #13 in 1954, Margaret #3 in 1954.
The order changed in 1972: Anne moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #83 and #73; by 1972 that had become #91 and #99.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Anne #91, Margaret #99.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1998–2015
Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Margaret in 9.
Highest recorded here: Anne #225 in 2003, Margaret #154 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Anne #358, Margaret #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 | Margaret |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From Latin Margarita, from Greek 'margarites' meaning 'pearl' — likely originally borrowed from an Indo-Iranian language. Associated with Saint Margaret, a 4th-century martyr and patron saint of expectant mothers. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via French transmission | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑː.nə/ | /ˈmɑɹ.ɡɹɪt/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #159 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #135 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| 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 Margaret is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Anne has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Margaret.
- Anne's recorded meaning differs from Margaret's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Anne a "high" Data Confidence level and Margaret 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 #1110 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Margaret
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #173 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls