Alison vs Karyn
Alison and Karyncompared 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 1971, Alison was ranked #67 and Karyn #97 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2008, Alison was ranked #118 and Karyn #862 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2007, Alison was ranked #987 and Karyn #4294 among girls in England and Wales.
Alison and Karyn over time
Alison and Karyn appear together in 1 published list, across 15 years of shared records. Alison held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Karyn in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Karyn reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls15 shared years, 1969–2008
Alison held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Karyn in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Karyn #393 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Alison #118, Karyn #862.
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 | Karyn |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #862 (2008) |
| 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 Karyn.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, 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
Karyn
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #84 among girls in New Zealand in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1966–1971
Highest recorded position: #77 among girls in New Zealand, in 1969 (recorded 1966–1971).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2008
Most recently recorded at #862 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2008.
Republic of Ireland · Girls