Anne vs Sharon
Anne and Sharoncompared 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 Zealand · Girls
In 1972, Anne was ranked #91 and Sharon #28 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1976, Anne was ranked #80 and Sharon #33 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2001, Anne was ranked #52 and Sharon #512 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Anne was ranked #430 and Sharon #366 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Anne was ranked #495 and Sharon #834 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #638 and Sharon #638 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #1036 and Sharon #2000 among girls in England and Wales.
Anne and Sharon over time
Anne and Sharon appear together in 5 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Anne held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Sharon in 2.
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 Sharon 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 1958, Sharon moved ahead of Anne in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #14 and #24 the year before became #21 and #13.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anne and Sharon changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1036 and #2000.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anne and Sharon averaged 30.8 places apart, ending at #80 and #33.
- Longest-running competitions
Anne and Sharon were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 55 years, from 1964 to 2020, ending at #495 and #834.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Anne #432 in 1996, Sharon #539 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1964–2020
Anne held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Sharon in 26.
Highest recorded here: Anne #4 in 1965, Sharon #5 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Anne #495, Sharon #834.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anne held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sharon in 10.
Highest recorded here: Anne #432 in 1996, Sharon #539 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anne #1036, Sharon #2000.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1952–1976
Anne held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sharon in 19.
Highest recorded here: Anne #11 in 1954, Sharon #2 in 1965.
The order changed in 1958: Sharon moved ahead. In 1957 they stood at #14 and #24; by 1958 that had become #21 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 1976: Anne #80, Sharon #33.
Norway · Girls23 shared years, 1961–2001
Anne held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Sharon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anne #1 in 1961, Sharon #354 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Anne #52, Sharon #512.
New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 1954–1972
Anne held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Sharon in 16.
Highest recorded here: Anne #13 in 1954, Sharon #5 in 1964.
The order changed in 1958: Sharon moved ahead. In 1957 they stood at #16 and #23; by 1958 that had become #23 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Anne #91, Sharon #28.
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 | Sharon |
|---|---|---|
| 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 a Hebrew place name — a fertile plain on the central west coast of Israel, also referenced in the biblical 'rose of Sharon' flowering plant. Used as a feminine given name in English since the 1920s. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via French transmission | Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑː.nə/ | /ˈʃæɹ.ən/ |
| 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) | Scotland · Girls #638 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Sharon is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) origin.
- Anne and Sharon both have 2 syllables.
- Anne's recorded meaning differs from Sharon'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 Sharon 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
Sharon
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #47 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1982
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1965 (recorded 1952–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls