Hannah vs Maria
Hannah and Mariacompared 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 Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2016, Hannah was ranked #27 and Maria #78 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #57 and Maria #97 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Hannah was ranked #116 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1985, Hannah was ranked #67 and Maria #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #107 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Hannah and Maria over time
Hannah and Maria appear together in 5 published lists, across 200 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Maria in 1.
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.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Hannah 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 2020, Maria moved ahead of Hannah in England and Wales · Girls — #68 and #69 the year before became #75 and #70.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Hannah and Maria averaged 56.9 places apart, ending at #107 and #91.
- Mirrored each other
Over 32 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Hannah rose about as far as Maria fell — from #82 and #45 in 1978 to #27 and #78 in 2016.
- Longest-running competitions
Hannah and Maria were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 32 years, from 1978 to 2016, ending at #27 and #78.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Maria in 28.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Maria #23 in 1967.
The order changed in 1992: Hannah moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #56 and #37; by 1992 that had become #43 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Maria #74.
Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1976–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 49.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #25 in 2005, Maria #3 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #116, Maria #62.
New Zealand · Girls32 shared years, 1978–2016
Hannah held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Maria in 3.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #3 in 1992, Maria #45 in 1978.
The order changed in 1981: Hannah moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #59 and #55; by 1981 that had become #42 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Hannah #27, Maria #78.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hannah held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Maria in 5.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order changed in 2020: Maria moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #68 and #69; by 2020 that had become #75 and #70.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #107, Maria #91.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Hannah held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Maria in 0.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1998, Maria #49 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #57, Maria #97.
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 | Hannah | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness. | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhænə/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025) | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Hannah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Hannah and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Hannah's recorded meaning differs from Maria'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
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
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls