Hannah vs Phoebe
Hannah and Phoebecompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #107 and Phoebe #17 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Hannah was ranked #21 and Phoebe #97 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #57 and Phoebe #30 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Phoebe #46 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Hannah was ranked #77 and Phoebe #56 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Hannah was ranked #73 and Phoebe #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Hannah and Phoebe over time
Hannah and Phoebe appear together in 5 published lists, across 152 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Phoebe in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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 5 of those lists, and Phoebe 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Girls, Phoebe moved into the top 50 at #30 in 2024 as Hannah fell out of it to #57, having been #36 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2009, Phoebe moved ahead of Hannah in England and Wales · Girls — #19 and #26 the year before became #29 and #23.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Hannah and Phoebe averaged 35.6 places apart, ending at #107 and #17.
- Longest-running competitions
Hannah and Phoebe were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 39 years, from 1985 to 2025, ending at #21 and #97.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls39 shared years, 1985–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Phoebe in 0.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Phoebe #78 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Phoebe #97.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hannah held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Phoebe in 16.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Phoebe #17 in 2024.
The order changed in 2009: Phoebe moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #19 and #26; by 2009 that had become #29 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #107, Phoebe #17.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1998–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Phoebe in 1.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #8 in 2001, Phoebe #39 in 2004.
The order changed in 2025: Phoebe moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #61 and #62; by 2025 that had become #73 and #65.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #73, Phoebe #65.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2023
Hannah held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Phoebe in 2.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #2 in 1996, Phoebe #45 in 2004.
The order changed in 2022: Phoebe moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #75 and #79; by 2022 that had become #89 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Hannah #77, Phoebe #56.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Hannah held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Phoebe in 1.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1998, Phoebe #30 in 2024.
The order changed in 2024: Phoebe moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #36 and #39; by 2024 that had become #57 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #57, Phoebe #30.
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 | Phoebe |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhænə/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #65 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 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); Phoebe does not have one recorded yet.
- Hannah and Phoebe both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Hannah; Phoebe 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
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
Phoebe
Popularity journey
First recorded1985
First recorded at #519 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1985 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls