Annie vs Lisa
Annie and Lisacompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Annie was ranked #20 and Lisa #336 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Annie was ranked #33 and Lisa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Annie was ranked #87 and Lisa #790 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Annie was ranked #115 and Lisa #795 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Annie was ranked #214 and Lisa #174 among girls in Norway.
Annie and Lisa over time
Annie and Lisa appear together in 4 published lists, across 188 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Lisa 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 1997, Annie moved ahead of Lisa in England and Wales · Girls — #119 and #105 the year before became #119 and #143.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Annie and Lisa changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #214 and #174.
- Mirrored each other
Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Annie rose about as far as Lisa fell — from #112 and #222 in 1964 to #33 and #443 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Annie and Lisa were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 80 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #214 and #174.
List by list
Norway · Girls80 shared years, 1945–2025
Annie held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Lisa in 64.
Highest recorded here: Annie #151 in 1949, Lisa #37 in 1994.
The order changed in 2022: Lisa moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #174 and #188; by 2022 that had become #332 and #214.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Annie #214, Lisa #174.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Annie held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Lisa in 41.
Highest recorded here: Annie #33 in 2025, Lisa #3 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Annie #33, Lisa #443.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Annie held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Lisa in 1.
Highest recorded here: Annie #108 in 2016, Lisa #105 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Annie moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #119 and #105; by 1997 that had become #119 and #143.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Annie #115, Lisa #795.
Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2019
Annie held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Lisa in 3.
Highest recorded here: Annie #20 in 2019, Lisa #63 in 1997.
The order changed in 2001: Annie moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #151 and #86; by 2001 that had become #82 and #95.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Annie #20, Lisa #336.
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 | Lisa |
|---|---|---|
| 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 short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. |
| Origin | A diminutive of Anne, tracing to the Hebrew root 'hanan' via Latin Anna | Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.i/ | /ˈliː.sə/ |
| 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 #174 (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 Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin.
- Annie and Lisa both have 2 syllables.
- Annie's recorded meaning differs from Lisa'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
Lisa
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1962–1997
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #174 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls