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 2024, Alison was ranked #1603 and Janet #3318 among girls in England and Wales.
Alison and Janet over time
Alison and Janet appear together in 4 published lists, across 99 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 Republic of Ireland · Girls for 43 years, from 1964 to 2018, ending at #162 and #896.
- 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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alison held the stronger position in 29 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, 2024: Alison #1603, Janet #3318.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Alison | Janet |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #3318 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
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
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
Highest recorded1952–1996
Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1979 (recorded 1952–1996).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Janet
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1954–1966
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1966).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3318 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls