Namewise

Fiona vs Hannah

Fiona 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.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1987, Fiona was ranked #92 and Hannah #13 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Fiona was ranked #432 and Hannah #19 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Fiona was ranked #325 and Hannah #21 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1987, Fiona was ranked #95 and Hannah #41 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Fiona was ranked #638 and Hannah #66 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Fiona was ranked #1362 and Hannah #105 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Fiona was ranked #399 and Hannah #116 among girls in Norway.

Fiona and Hannah over time

Fiona and Hannah appear together in 5 published lists, across 150 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Fiona in 0.

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.

Fiona reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Hannah 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Girls, Hannah moved into the top 50 at #29 in 1982 as Fiona fell out of it to #51, having been #37 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1982, Hannah moved ahead of Fiona in New Zealand · Girls — #37 and #42 the year before became #51 and #29.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Fiona and Hannah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #105.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Fiona #157 in 1996, Hannah #6 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Fiona held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Hannah in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #4 in 1971, Hannah #5 in 2019.

    The order changed in 1994: Hannah moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #24 and #27; by 1994 that had become #34 and #29.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #325, Hannah #21.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #157 in 1996, Hannah #6 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #1362, Hannah #105.

  • Norway · Girls30 shared years, 1986–2025

    Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #207 in 2015, Hannah #25 in 2005.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #399, Hannah #116.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1997–2017

    Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #66 in 1997, Hannah #6 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Fiona #432, Hannah #19.

  • New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 1978–1987

    Fiona held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Hannah in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #30 in 1979, Hannah #13 in 1987.

    The order changed in 1982: Hannah moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #37 and #42; by 1982 that had become #51 and #29.

    Most recent shared year, 1987: Fiona #92, 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Fiona

Pairs where Fiona shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Hannah

Pairs where Hannah shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Fiona, Hannah
FieldFionaHannah
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe feminine form of Fionn. Popularized by Scottish poet James Macpherson in his 1761 poem Fingal, where it was spelled 'Fióna'.Commonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness.
OriginScottish, feminine of FionnBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/fi.ˈoʊ.nə//ˈhænə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #325 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Fiona is recorded with a Scottish, feminine of Fionn origin, while Hannah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Fiona and Hannah both have 2 syllables.
  • Fiona'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.

How each name got here

Fiona

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1955

    First recorded at #87 among girls in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1362 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Hannah

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1978–2023

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1996 (recorded 1978–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #105 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls