Namewise

Alison vs Jennifer

Alison and Jennifercompared 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 Jennifer #21 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1996, Alison was ranked #97 and Jennifer #59 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Alison was ranked #213 and Jennifer #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2013, Alison was ranked #440 and Jennifer #255 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Alison was ranked #1603 and Jennifer #483 among girls in England and Wales.

Alison and Jennifer over time

Alison and Jennifer appear together in 5 published lists, across 172 years of shared records. Jennifer held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Alison in 0.

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

Jennifer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 2014, Alison moved ahead of Jennifer in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #139 and #136 the year before became #151 and #184.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 45 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Alison and Jennifer averaged 34.8 places apart, ending at #97 and #59.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alison and Jennifer were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 45 years, from 1952 to 1996, ending at #97 and #59.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Jennifer #54 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Alison held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Jennifer in 49.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Jennifer #4 in 1981.

    The order changed in 2014: Alison moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #139 and #136; by 2014 that had become #151 and #184.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alison #213, Jennifer #413.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls45 shared years, 1952–1996

    Alison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jennifer in 45.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #18 in 1979, Jennifer #1 in 1956.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1996: Alison #97, Jennifer #59.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Jennifer #54 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alison #1603, Jennifer #483.

  • New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1954–1979

    Alison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jennifer in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #30 in 1966, Jennifer #4 in 1957.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1979: Alison #70, Jennifer #21.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1997–2013

    Alison held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Jennifer in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #118 in 1998, Jennifer #55 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Alison #440, Jennifer #255.

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 Jennifer

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

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alison, Jennifer
FieldAlisonJennifer
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), combining 'gwyn' and 'hwyfar'. Confined mainly to Cornwall until George Bernard Shaw's 1906 play The Doctor's Dilemma sparked wider adoption.
OriginNot yet recordedWelsh, via Cornish transmission
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/
Syllables33
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, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jennifer has a recorded origin (Welsh, via Cornish transmission); Alison does not have one recorded yet.
  • Alison and Jennifer both have 3 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jennifer; Alison doesn't have one written yet.
  • 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

Jennifer

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #331 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–2003

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls