Namewise

Alison vs Janet

Alison and Janetcompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1965, Alison was ranked #27 and Janet #82 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1966, Alison was ranked #30 and Janet #80 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2018, Alison was ranked #162 and Janet #896 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1999, Alison was ranked #227 and Janet #344 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Alison was ranked #1719 and Janet #4867 among girls in England and Wales.

Alison and Janet over time

Alison and Janet appear together in 4 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Janet reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Alison 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Girls, Alison moved into the top 50 at #45 in 1962 as Janet fell out of it to #54, having been #41 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1961, Alison moved ahead of Janet in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #60 and #52 the year before became #51 and #62.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alison and Janet were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1719 and #4867.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Janet #1031 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1964–2018

    Alison held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Janet in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Janet #86 in 1966.

    The order changed in 1967: Alison moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #98 and #86; by 1967 that had become #88 and #106.

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Alison #162, Janet #896.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Alison held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Janet in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Janet #1031 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alison #1719, Janet #4867.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls14 shared years, 1952–1965

    Alison held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Janet in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #27 in 1965, Janet #36 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1961: Alison moved ahead. In 1960 they stood at #60 and #52; by 1961 that had become #51 and #62.

    Most recent shared year, 1965: Alison #27, Janet #82.

  • New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 1954–1966

    Alison held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Janet in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #30 in 1966, Janet #19 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1962: Alison moved ahead. In 1961 they stood at #43 and #41; by 1962 that had become #45 and #54.

    Most recent shared year, 1966: Alison #30, Janet #80.

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 Janet

Pairs where Janet 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 — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alison, Janet
FieldAlisonJanet
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 recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #4867 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alison has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Janet.
  • 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 #1719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Janet

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1947

    First recorded at #308 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1966

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1966).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls