Namewise

Hannah vs Ruby

Hannah and Rubycompared 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 2023, Hannah was ranked #77 and Ruby #17 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #21 and Ruby #36 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #73 and Ruby #28 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Ruby #34 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #105 and Ruby #38 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #57 and Ruby #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #116 and Ruby #450 among girls in Norway.

Hannah and Ruby over time

Hannah and Ruby appear together in 5 published lists, across 152 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ruby in 2.

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 4 of those lists, Ruby in 1. 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 2005, Ruby moved ahead of Hannah in England and Wales · Girls — #12 and #31 the year before became #14 and #12.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Hannah and Ruby changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1998 and 2024, ending at #57 and #38.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Hannah and Ruby averaged 46.0 places apart, ending at #105 and #38.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hannah and Ruby were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #105 and #38.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1991–2025

    Hannah held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Ruby in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Ruby #16 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Ruby #36.

  • New Zealand · Girls32 shared years, 1992–2023

    Hannah held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Ruby in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #2 in 1996, Ruby #1 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2009: Ruby moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #11 and #13; by 2009 that had become #19 and #2.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Hannah #77, Ruby #17.

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

    Hannah held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Ruby in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Ruby #1 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2005: Ruby moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #12 and #31; by 2005 that had become #14 and #12.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #105, Ruby #38.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1997–2025

    Hannah held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Ruby in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #8 in 1997, Ruby #2 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2008: Ruby moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #13 and #18; by 2008 that had become #18 and #14.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #73, Ruby #28.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1998–2024

    Hannah held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ruby in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1998, Ruby #18 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2019: Ruby moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #21 and #29; by 2019 that had become #24 and #20.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #57, Ruby #38.

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 Ruby

Pairs where Ruby 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand 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, Ruby
FieldHannahRuby
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness.Taken from the gemstone name; the ruby is the traditional July birthstone. As a given name it came into use in the 16th century.
OriginBiblical HebrewEnglish, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red')
Pronunciation/ˈhænə//ˈruːbi/
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)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #28 (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 Ruby is recorded with a English, ultimately from Latin rubeus ('red') origin.
  • Hannah and Ruby both have 2 syllables.
  • Hannah's recorded meaning differs from Ruby'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

Ruby

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1991

    First recorded at #515 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2007 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #38 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls