Bethany vs Hannah
Bethany and Hannah compared 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 2004, Bethany was ranked #100 and Hannah #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Bethany was ranked #544 and Hannah #21 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #253 and Hannah #57 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #384 and Hannah #66 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Bethany was ranked #585 and Hannah #105 among girls in England and Wales.
Bethany and Hannah over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Bethany and Hannah over time
Bethany and Hannah appear together in 4 published lists, across 101 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Bethany in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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.
- Longest-running competitions
Bethany and Hannah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #585 and #105.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Bethany #73 in 1997, Hannah #8 in 1997.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #13 and #6 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #585 and #105.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1991–2025
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 33.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #179 in 2003, Hannah #5 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bethany #544, Hannah #21.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 30.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #11 in 1999, Hannah #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bethany #585, Hannah #105.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 28.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #32 in 1998, Hannah #6 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bethany #253, Hannah #57.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 1994–2004
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 10.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #73 in 1997, Hannah #8 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Bethany #100, Hannah #13.
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 | Bethany | Hannah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈhænə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #544 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Hannah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Bethany does not have one recorded yet.
- Bethany has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Hannah.
- A meaning is recorded for Hannah; Bethany doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Bethany
Popularity journey
First recorded1991
First recorded at #457 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in England and Wales, in 1999 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #585 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Hannah
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #91 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1978–2023
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1996 (recorded 1978–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #105 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls