Alison vs Joy
Alison and Joycompared 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 1960, Alison was ranked #37 and Joy #92 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1958, Alison was ranked #85 and Joy #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Alison was ranked #213 and Joy #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2008, Alison was ranked #370 and Joy #228 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alison was ranked #1603 and Joy #467 among girls in England and Wales.
Alison and Joy over time
Alison and Joy appear together in 3 published lists, across 96 years of shared records. Alison held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Joy 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, Joy 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Alison and Joy were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 59 years, from 1965 to 2025, ending at #213 and #608.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Joy #449 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1965–2025
Alison held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Joy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Joy #185 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alison #213, Joy #608.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alison held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Joy in 21.
Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Joy #449 in 1997.
The order changed in 2004: Joy moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #595 and #666; by 2004 that had become #667 and #542.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alison #1603, Joy #467.
Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1997–2008
Alison held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Joy in 2.
Highest recorded here: Alison #118 in 1998, Joy #226 in 2005.
The order changed in 2005: Joy moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #273 and #372; by 2005 that had become #377 and #226.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Alison #370, Joy #228.
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 | Joy |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alison has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Joy.
- 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
Joy
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #68 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 recorded1954–1960
Highest recorded position: #62 among girls in New Zealand, in 1956 (recorded 1954–1960).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls