Alison vs Norah
Alison and Norahcompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Alison was ranked #213 and Norah #304 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alison was ranked #1603 and Norah #262 among girls in England and Wales.
Alison and Norah over time
Alison and Norah appear together in 2 published lists, across 85 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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 1965, Alison moved ahead of Norah in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #146 and #135 the year before became #117 and #135.
- Longest-running competitions
Alison and Norah were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 58 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #213 and #304.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2025
Alison held the stronger position in 57 of those years, Norah in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Norah #135 in 1964.
The order changed in 1965: Alison moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #146 and #135; by 1965 that had become #117 and #135.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alison #213, Norah #304.
England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Alison held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Norah in 15.
Highest recorded here: Alison #268 in 1997, Norah #232 in 2022.
The order changed in 2010: Norah moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #1022 and #1139; by 2010 that had become #1815 and #1040.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alison #1603, Norah #262.
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 | Norah |
|---|---|---|
| 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, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #304 (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 Norah.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
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
Norah
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #135 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #135 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #449 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls