Namewise

Alison vs Hayley

Alison and Hayleycompared 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.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1979, Alison was ranked #70 and Hayley #26 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1996, Alison was ranked #97 and Hayley #44 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Alison was ranked #213 and Hayley #148 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2013, Alison was ranked #440 and Hayley #218 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Alison was ranked #1603 and Hayley #503 among girls in England and Wales.

Alison and Hayley over time

Alison and Hayley appear together in 4 published lists, across 107 years of shared records. Hayley held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Alison in 1.

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.

Alison reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Hayley 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Hayley moved into the top 50 at #36 in 1988 as Alison fell out of it to #55, having been #47 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1988, Hayley moved ahead of Alison in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #47 and #52 the year before became #55 and #36.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alison and Hayley were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 51 years, from 1968 to 2025, ending at #213 and #148.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Hayley #57 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1968–2025

    Alison held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Hayley in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Hayley #48 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2017: Hayley moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #114 and #148; by 2017 that had become #145 and #130.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alison #213, Hayley #148.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Alison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Hayley in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Hayley #57 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alison #1603, Hayley #503.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls18 shared years, 1979–1996

    Alison held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Hayley in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #18 in 1979, Hayley #19 in 1991.

    The order changed in 1988: Hayley moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #47 and #52; by 1988 that had become #55 and #36.

    Most recent shared year, 1996: Alison #97, Hayley #44.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 1997–2013

    Alison held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Hayley in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #118 in 1998, Hayley #57 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Alison #440, Hayley #218.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Alison

Pairs where Alison shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Hayley

Pairs where Hayley shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alison, Hayley
FieldAlisonHayley
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #148 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alison has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Hayley.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Alison

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1996

    Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1979 (recorded 1952–1996).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Hayley

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1968

    First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1973–2016

    Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in New Zealand, in 1990 (recorded 1973–2016).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #148 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls