Annie vs Ella
Annie and Ellacompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Annie was ranked #214 and Ella #4 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Annie was ranked #87 and Ella #9 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Annie was ranked #11 and Ella #12 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Annie was ranked #33 and Ella #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Annie was ranked #115 and Ella #39 among girls in England and Wales.
Annie and Ella over time
Annie and Ella appear together in 4 published lists, across 177 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Annie in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Ella reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Annie in 1. 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 1998, Ella moved ahead of Annie in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #123 and #176 the year before became #159 and #94.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Annie and Ella changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #11 and #12.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Annie and Ella averaged 34.8 places apart, ending at #11 and #12.
- Longest-running competitions
Annie and Ella were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 74 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #214 and #4.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Annie #108 in 2016, Ella #6 in 2015.
List by list
Norway · Girls74 shared years, 1945–2025
Annie held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Ella in 46.
Highest recorded here: Annie #151 in 1949, Ella #3 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Annie #214, Ella #4.
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1970–2025
Annie held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Ella in 29.
Highest recorded here: Annie #33 in 2025, Ella #3 in 2007.
The order changed in 1998: Ella moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #123 and #176; by 1998 that had become #159 and #94.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Annie #33, Ella #17.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Annie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ella in 29.
Highest recorded here: Annie #108 in 2016, Ella #6 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Annie #115, Ella #39.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Annie held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Ella in 22.
Highest recorded here: Annie #8 in 2022, Ella #2 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Annie #11, Ella #12.
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 | Annie | Ella |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Anne, itself from the Hebrew root 'hanan' ('grace, favour') via Latin Anna. | A diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen and other names beginning with 'El-', also used as a short form of names ending in '-ella'. Widely used across Scandinavian and Germanic languages as well as English. |
| Origin | A diminutive of Anne, tracing to the Hebrew root 'hanan' via Latin Anna | Germanic, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.i/ | /ˈɛl.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #33 (2025) | Norway · Girls #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Annie is recorded with a A diminutive of Anne, tracing to the Hebrew root 'hanan' via Latin Anna origin, while Ella is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive form origin.
- Annie and Ella both have 2 syllables.
- Annie's recorded meaning differs from Ella's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Annie
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #180 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #214 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Ella
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #137 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1993–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls