Abigail vs Alison
Abigail and Alisoncompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2013, Abigail was ranked #44 and Alison #440 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #115 and Alison #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #154 and Alison #1603 among girls in England and Wales.
Abigail and Alison over time
Abigail and Alison appear together in 3 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. Abigail held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Alison 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.
Alison reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Abigail 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2003, Abigail moved ahead of Alison in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #68 and #60 the year before became #54 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Abigail and Alison were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 54 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #115 and #213.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1969–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Alison in 31.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Alison #33 in 1989.
The order changed in 2003: Abigail moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #68 and #60; by 2003 that had become #54 and #83.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #115, Alison #213.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Alison in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Alison #225 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #154, Alison #1603.
Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1997–2013
Abigail held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Alison in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Alison #118 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Abigail #44, Alison #440.
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 | Abigail | Alison |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Abigail and Alison both have 3 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Abigail
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #303 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — 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: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #55 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Alison
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #76 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1996
Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1979 (recorded 1952–1996).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls