Namewise

Hannah vs Samantha

Hannah and Samanthacompared 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 Samantha #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2013, Hannah was ranked #22 and Samantha #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2015, Hannah was ranked #29 and Samantha #85 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Hannah was ranked #34 and Samantha #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Samantha #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #105 and Samantha #778 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #116 and Samantha #525 among girls in Norway.

Hannah and Samantha over time

Hannah and Samantha appear together in 6 published lists, across 223 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Samantha in 1.

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.

Samantha 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 1999, Hannah moved ahead of Samantha in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #11 and #8 the year before became #10 and #11.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Hannah and Samantha changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1978 and 2015, ending at #29 and #85.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Hannah and Samantha averaged 26.0 places apart, ending at #22 and #84.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hannah and Samantha were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #105 and #778.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Hannah #6 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025

    Hannah held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Samantha in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Samantha #33 in 1986.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Samantha #885.

  • Norway · Girls42 shared years, 1978–2025

    Hannah held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Samantha in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #25 in 2005, Samantha #298 in 2015.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #116, Samantha #525.

  • New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1978–2015

    Hannah held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Samantha in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #2 in 1996, Samantha #3 in 1989.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Hannah #29, Samantha #85.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1983–2013

    Hannah held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Samantha in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #8 in 1997, Samantha #3 in 1992.

    The order changed in 1999: Hannah moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #11 and #8; by 1999 that had become #10 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Hannah #22, Samantha #84.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #105, Samantha #778.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2021

    Hannah held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Samantha in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1998, Samantha #57 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Hannah #34, Samantha #446.

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 Samantha

Pairs where Samantha 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 — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

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, Samantha
FieldHannahSamantha
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness.Likely a feminine adaptation of Samuel, incorporating a suffix possibly derived from Greek 'anthos' ('flower'). Emerged in 18th-century America; boosted to wide popularity by the 1964 television series Bewitched.
OriginBiblical HebrewHebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin)
Pronunciation/ˈhænə//sə.ˈmæn.θə/
Syllables23
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 #525 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Hannah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Samantha is recorded with a Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) origin.
  • Hannah has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Samantha.
  • Hannah's recorded meaning differs from Samantha'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

Samantha

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #79 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1966–2013

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1992 (recorded 1966–2013).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #778 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls