Aisha vs Zena
Aisha and Zenacompared 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, Aisha was ranked #109 and Zena #3318 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Aisha was ranked #341 and Zena #873 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Aisha and Zena over time
Aisha and Zena appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Aisha held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Zena in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Zena reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Aisha 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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Aisha held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Zena in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aisha #76 in 2014, Zena #787 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aisha #109, Zena #3318.
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 | Aisha | Zena |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'living' or 'she who lives', from the Arabic root for 'to live'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Arabic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /aɪˈiːʃə/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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 | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #226 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #3318 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Aisha has a recorded origin (Arabic); Zena does not have one recorded yet.
- Aisha and Zena both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Aisha; Zena doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Aisha
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #528 among girls in Norway in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #76 among girls in England and Wales, in 2014 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #274 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Zena
Popularity journey
First recorded1982
First recorded at #523 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1982–2017
Highest recorded position: #456 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1982–2017).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3318 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls