Alison vs Karen
Alison and Karencompared 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 Karen #29 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1986, Alison was ranked #50 and Karen #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Alison was ranked #152 and Karen #871 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2008, Alison was ranked #370 and Karen #439 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Alison was ranked #1719 and Karen #2440 among girls in England and Wales.
Alison and Karen over time
Alison and Karen appear together in 5 published lists, across 154 years of shared records. Karen held the stronger position in more years in 4 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.
Karen 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Girls, Alison moved into the top 50 at #46 in 1996 as Karen fell out of it to #61, having been #43 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1979, Alison moved ahead of Karen in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #19 and #18 the year before became #18 and #21.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alison and Karen changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #1719 and #2440.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Alison and Karen averaged 35.9 places apart, ending at #50 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Alison and Karen were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 35 years, from 1952 to 1986, ending at #50 and #98.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2019
Alison held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Karen in 32.
Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Karen #5 in 1977.
The order changed in 1996: Alison moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #44 and #43; by 1996 that had become #46 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Alison #152, Karen #871.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1952–1986
Alison held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Karen in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alison #18 in 1979, Karen #1 in 1963.
The order changed in 1979: Alison moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #19 and #18; by 1979 that had become #18 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Alison #50, Karen #98.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025
Alison held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Karen in 5.
Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alison #1719, Karen #2440.
New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1954–1979
Alison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Karen in 26.
Highest recorded here: Alison #30 in 1966, Karen #1 in 1957.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1979: Alison #70, Karen #29.
Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1997–2008
Alison held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Karen in 4.
Highest recorded here: Alison #118 in 1998, Karen #133 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Alison #370, Karen #439.
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 | Karen |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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) | Norway · Girls #442 (2025) |
| 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 Karen.
- 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 #1719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Karen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls