Hannah vs Sophie
Hannah and Sophiecompared 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 Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Hannah was ranked #77 and Sophie #14 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #57 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Hannah was ranked #73 and Sophie #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Hannah was ranked #105 and Sophie #63 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Hannah was ranked #116 and Sophie #178 among girls in Norway.
Hannah and Sophie over time
Hannah and Sophie appear together in 6 published lists, across 242 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Hannah in 2.
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.
Hannah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Sophie 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 2003, Sophie moved ahead of Hannah in New Zealand · Girls — #3 and #5 the year before became #6 and #2.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Hannah and Sophie changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1985 and 2025, ending at #73 and #22.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Hannah and Sophie averaged 27.0 places apart, ending at #105 and #63.
- Longest-running competitions
Hannah and Sophie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #105 and #63.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Hannah #6 in 1996, Sophie #1 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1967–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Sophie in 26.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 2002: Sophie moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #15 and #16; by 2002 that had become #12 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Sophie #6.
Norway · Girls47 shared years, 1978–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Sophie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #25 in 2005, Sophie #106 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #116, Sophie #178.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls41 shared years, 1985–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sophie in 27.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #8 in 1997, Sophie #5 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #73, Sophie #22.
New Zealand · Girls40 shared years, 1984–2023
Hannah held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sophie in 21.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #2 in 1996, Sophie #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 2003: Sophie moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #3 and #5; by 2003 that had become #6 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Hannah #77, Sophie #14.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Hannah held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #105, Sophie #63.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Hannah held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sophie in 21.
Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1998, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order changed in 2004: Sophie moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #10 and #11; by 2004 that had become #12 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #57, Sophie #14.
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 | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness. | The French form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhænə/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Hannah and Sophie both have 2 syllables.
- Hannah's recorded meaning differs from Sophie'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 #105 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #63 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls