Elsie vs Hannah
Elsie and Hannahcompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Elsie was ranked #10 and Hannah #107 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Elsie was ranked #55 and Hannah #21 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Elsie was ranked #24 and Hannah #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Elsie was ranked #27 and Hannah #57 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Elsie was ranked #31 and Hannah #66 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Elsie was ranked #74 and Hannah #77 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Elsie was ranked #371 and Hannah #116 among girls in Norway.
Elsie and Hannah over time
Elsie and Hannah appear together in 5 published lists, across 92 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Elsie in 0.
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.
Hannah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Elsie 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 took the other's place near the top
In England and Wales · Girls, Elsie moved into the top 50 at #32 in 2014 as Hannah fell out of it to #59, having been #44 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2014, Elsie moved ahead of Hannah in England and Wales · Girls — #47 and #44 the year before became #32 and #59.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Elsie held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Hannah in 18.
Highest recorded here: Elsie #10 in 2024, Hannah #6 in 1996.
The order changed in 2014: Elsie moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #47 and #44; by 2014 that had become #32 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elsie #10, Hannah #107.
Republic of Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1964–2025
Elsie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 25.
Highest recorded here: Elsie #55 in 2025, Hannah #5 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elsie #55, Hannah #21.
Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 2007–2024
Elsie held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Hannah in 15.
Highest recorded here: Elsie #27 in 2024, Hannah #8 in 2007.
The order changed in 2023: Elsie moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #34 and #31; by 2023 that had become #28 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elsie #27, Hannah #57.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls13 shared years, 2013–2025
Elsie held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Hannah in 9.
Highest recorded here: Elsie #24 in 2025, Hannah #22 in 2013.
The order changed in 2022: Elsie moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #52 and #39; by 2022 that had become #52 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elsie #24, Hannah #73.
New Zealand · Girls8 shared years, 2015–2023
Elsie held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Hannah in 4.
Highest recorded here: Elsie #53 in 2022, Hannah #27 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Elsie #74, Hannah #77.
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 | Elsie | Hannah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Shares the root meaning of Elizabeth: 'my God is an oath', inherited via the Scots form Elspeth. | Commonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness. |
| Origin | Scottish, via Elizabeth | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛlsi/ | /ˈhænə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Elspeth | 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #24 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Elsie is recorded with a Scottish, via Elizabeth origin, while Hannah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Elsie and Hannah both have 2 syllables.
- Elsie's recorded meaning differs from Hannah'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 Elsie a "high" Data Confidence level and Hannah a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Elsie
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #301 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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 #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls