Anne vs Nina
Anne and Ninacompared 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.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #638 and Nina #97 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anne was ranked #544 and Nina #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Anne was ranked #358 and Nina #155 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Anne was ranked #159 and Nina #195 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #1036 and Nina #160 among girls in England and Wales.
Anne and Nina over time
Anne and Nina appear together in 4 published lists, across 175 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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 4 of those lists, and Nina 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 2008, Nina moved ahead of Anne in Northern Ireland · Girls — #238 and #265 the year before became #370 and #171.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anne and Nina changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1998 and 2015, ending at #358 and #155.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 81 shared years in Norway · Girls, Anne and Nina averaged 41.0 places apart, ending at #159 and #195.
- Longest-running competitions
Anne and Nina were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #159 and #195.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 79 of those years, Nina in 2.
Highest recorded here: Anne #1 in 1945, Nina #3 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #159, Nina #195.
Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1967–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Nina in 20.
Highest recorded here: Anne #5 in 1967, Nina #83 in 2020.
The order changed in 2009: Nina moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #241 and #272; by 2009 that had become #410 and #158.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #544, Nina #112.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nina in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anne #432 in 1996, Nina #137 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anne #1036, Nina #160.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1998–2015
Anne held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Nina in 6.
Highest recorded here: Anne #225 in 2003, Nina #155 in 2015.
The order changed in 2008: Nina moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #238 and #265; by 2008 that had become #370 and #171.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Anne #358, Nina #155.
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 | Nina |
|---|---|---|
| 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 '-nina', such as Antonina or Giannina; imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via French transmission | Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑː.nə/ | /ˈnʲi.nə/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #159 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (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 Nina is recorded with a Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) origin.
- Anne and Nina both have 2 syllables.
- Anne's recorded meaning differs from Nina's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Anne a "high" Data Confidence level and Nina 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
Nina
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #132 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 1964 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #195 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls