Namewise

Hannah vs Lisa

Hannah and Lisacompared 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 1997, Hannah was ranked #3 and Lisa #85 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1997, Hannah was ranked #8 and Lisa #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #21 and Lisa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Hannah was ranked #24 and Lisa #336 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Lisa #790 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #105 and Lisa #661 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #116 and Lisa #174 among girls in Norway.

Hannah and Lisa over time

Hannah and Lisa appear together in 6 published lists, across 193 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Lisa 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.

Lisa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 1989, Hannah moved ahead of Lisa in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #30 and #21 the year before became #21 and #22.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Hannah and Lisa averaged 37.9 places apart, ending at #3 and #85.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Hannah rose about as far as Lisa fell — from #91 and #222 in 1964 to #21 and #443 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hannah and Lisa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #105 and #661.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Hannah #6 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.

List by list

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

    Hannah held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Lisa in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Lisa #3 in 1984.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Lisa #443.

  • Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1976–2025

    Hannah held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Lisa in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #25 in 2005, Lisa #37 in 1994.

    The order changed in 2000: Hannah moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #56 and #54; by 2000 that had become #49 and #68.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #116, Lisa #174.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #105, Lisa #661.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1978–1997

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

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #2 in 1996, Lisa #4 in 1979.

    The order changed in 1988: Hannah moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #13 and #11; by 1988 that had become #12 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Hannah #3, Lisa #85.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2019

    Hannah held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Lisa in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1998, Lisa #63 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Hannah #24, Lisa #336.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 1983–1997

    Hannah held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Lisa in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #8 in 1997, Lisa #9 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1989: Hannah moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #30 and #21; by 1989 that had become #21 and #22.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Hannah #8, Lisa #100.

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 Lisa

Pairs where Lisa 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland 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, Lisa
FieldHannahLisa
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness.A short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
OriginBiblical HebrewHebrew, short form of Elizabeth
Pronunciation/ˈhænə//ˈliː.sə/
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 #21 (2025)Norway · Girls #174 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Hannah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin.
  • Hannah and Lisa both have 2 syllables.
  • Hannah's recorded meaning differs from Lisa'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

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

Lisa

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1962–1997

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #661 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls