Gemma vs Hannah
Gemma 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 2008, Gemma was ranked #60 and Hannah #11 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2010, Gemma was ranked #80 and Hannah #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Gemma was ranked #718 and Hannah #21 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Gemma was ranked #353 and Hannah #24 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Gemma was ranked #1541 and Hannah #107 among girls in England and Wales.
Gemma and Hannah over time
Gemma and Hannah appear together in 5 published lists, across 159 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Gemma 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.
Gemma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Hannah 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1986, Hannah moved ahead of Gemma in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #61 and #67 the year before became #65 and #60.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Gemma and Hannah changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #718 and #21.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 24 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Gemma and Hannah averaged 50.4 places apart, ending at #60 and #11.
- Longest-running competitions
Gemma and Hannah were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #718 and #21.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Gemma #50 in 1996, Hannah #6 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Gemma held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Hannah in 43.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #36 in 1992, Hannah #5 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gemma #718, Hannah #21.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gemma held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #50 in 1996, Hannah #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gemma #1541, Hannah #107.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1984–2010
Gemma held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Hannah in 23.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #47 in 1991, Hannah #8 in 1997.
The order changed in 1986: Hannah moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #61 and #67; by 1986 that had become #65 and #60.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Gemma #80, Hannah #19.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1982–2008
Gemma held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Hannah in 22.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #17 in 1984, Hannah #2 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Gemma #60, Hannah #11.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2016
Gemma held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hannah in 19.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #35 in 1997, Hannah #6 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Gemma #353, Hannah #24.
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 | Gemma | 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 | /ˈhænə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Hannah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Gemma does not have one recorded yet.
- Gemma and Hannah both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Hannah; Gemma doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Gemma
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #149 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 recorded1982–2008
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1982–2008).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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