Ada vs Darlene
Ada and Darlenecompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ada was ranked #40 and Darlene #5891 among girls in England and Wales.
Ada and Darlene over time
Ada and Darlene appear together in 1 published list, across 17 years of shared records. Ada held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Darlene in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Darlene reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Ada 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls17 shared years, 1996–2024
Ada held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Darlene in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ada #36 in 2022, Darlene #2509 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ada #40, Darlene #5891.
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 | Ada | Darlene |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A short form of Germanic names beginning with 'adal' meaning 'noble', such as Adelaide or Adelina. Notably borne by Ada Lovelace, who assisted Charles Babbage with early computer development. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Germanic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.də/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #18 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #5891 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ada has a recorded origin (Germanic); Darlene does not have one recorded yet.
- Ada has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Darlene.
- A meaning is recorded for Ada; Darlene doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Ada
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #229 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in Norway, in 2019 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #18 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Darlene
Popularity journey
First recorded1980
First recorded at #432 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1980 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1980–1996
Highest recorded position: #432 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1980 (recorded 1980–1996).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls