Abigail vs Jane
Abigail and Janecompared 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 2024, Abigail was ranked #80 and Jane #288 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #115 and Jane #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #154 and Jane #1160 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2013, Abigail was ranked #311 and Jane #576 among girls in Norway.
Abigail and Jane over time
Abigail and Jane appear together in 4 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Jane reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 2001, Abigail moved ahead of Jane in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #82 and #79 the year before became #66 and #78.
- Longest-running competitions
Abigail and Jane 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 25 of those years, Jane in 29.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Jane #62 in 1997.
The order changed in 2001: Abigail moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #82 and #79; by 2001 that had become #66 and #78.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #115, Jane #213.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jane in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Jane #316 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #154, Jane #1160.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Jane in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Jane #80 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #80, Jane #288.
Norway · Girls13 shared years, 1983–2013
Abigail held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Jane in 11.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #311 in 2013, Jane #165 in 1983.
The order changed in 2013: Abigail moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #556 and #528; by 2013 that had become #311 and #576.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Abigail #311, Jane #576.
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 | Jane |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, IE, NO, 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 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Abigail has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Jane.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, 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
Jane
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #246 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1984
Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1952–1984).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls