Namewise

Hannah vs Holly

Hannah and Hollycompared 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #21 and Holly #69 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2015, Hannah was ranked #28 and Holly #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #57 and Holly #105 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Holly #79 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2020, Hannah was ranked #74 and Holly #78 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #105 and Holly #169 among girls in England and Wales.

Hannah and Holly over time

Hannah and Holly appear together in 5 published lists, across 174 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Holly 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.

Hannah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Holly in 2. 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 1985, Hannah moved ahead of Holly in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #74 and #55 the year before became #67 and #71.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Hannah and Holly averaged 12.4 places apart, ending at #105 and #169.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hannah and Holly were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #105 and #169.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Hannah #2 in 1996, Holly #16 in 1994.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1976–2025

    Hannah held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Holly in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Holly #11 in 2010.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Holly #69.

  • New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1983–2020

    Hannah held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Holly in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #2 in 1996, Holly #16 in 1994.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Hannah #74, Holly #78.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1983–2015

    Hannah held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Holly in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #8 in 1997, Holly #19 in 2003.

    The order changed in 1985: Hannah moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #74 and #55; by 1985 that had become #67 and #71.

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Hannah #28, Holly #98.

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

    Hannah held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Holly in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Holly #12 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #105, Holly #169.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Hannah held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Holly in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1998, Holly #22 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #57, Holly #105.

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 Hannah

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

Other comparisons involving Holly

Pairs where Holly 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Hannah, Holly
FieldHannahHolly
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/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, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #69 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Hannah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Holly does not have one recorded yet.
  • Hannah and Holly both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Hannah; Holly doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

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

Holly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1976

    First recorded at #392 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1976–2025

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2010 (recorded 1976–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #169 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls