Anne vs Maria
Anne and Mariacompared 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 1976, Anne was ranked #80 and Maria #46 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1972, Anne was ranked #91 and Maria #52 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anne was ranked #159 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anne was ranked #544 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Anne was ranked #358 and Maria #79 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #1036 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #638 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
Anne and Maria over time
Anne and Maria appear together in 6 published lists, across 227 years of shared records. Maria held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Anne in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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 6 of those lists, and Maria 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 1963, Maria moved ahead of Anne in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #26 and #28 the year before became #25 and #21.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anne and Maria averaged 22.4 places apart, ending at #80 and #46.
- Longest-running competitions
Anne and Maria were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #159 and #62.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Anne #4 in 1965, Maria #23 in 1967.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Maria in 40.
Highest recorded here: Anne #1 in 1945, Maria #3 in 1982.
The order changed in 1987: Maria moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #6 and #7; by 1987 that had become #8 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #159, Maria #62.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Maria in 41.
Highest recorded here: Anne #4 in 1965, Maria #23 in 1967.
The order changed in 1985: Maria moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #28 and #32; by 1985 that had become #35 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #544, Maria #74.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anne #432 in 1996, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anne #1036, Maria #91.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1952–1976
Anne held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Maria in 14.
Highest recorded here: Anne #11 in 1954, Maria #13 in 1966.
The order changed in 1963: Maria moved ahead. In 1962 they stood at #26 and #28; by 1963 that had become #25 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 1976: Anne #80, Maria #46.
New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 1954–1972
Anne held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Maria in 8.
Highest recorded here: Anne #13 in 1954, Maria #21 in 1967.
The order changed in 1965: Maria moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #35 and #36; by 1965 that had become #42 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Anne #91, Maria #52.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1998–2015
Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 11.
Highest recorded here: Anne #225 in 2003, Maria #49 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Anne #358, Maria #79.
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 | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Hebrew, via French transmission | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑː.nə/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #159 (2025) | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Anne and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Anne's recorded meaning differs from Maria'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 Maria 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
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 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: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls