Alison vs Sharon
Alison and Sharoncompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1982, Alison was ranked #22 and Sharon #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1979, Alison was ranked #70 and Sharon #49 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Alison was ranked #255 and Sharon #834 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2008, Alison was ranked #370 and Sharon #439 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alison was ranked #1603 and Sharon #2000 among girls in England and Wales.
Alison and Sharon over time
Alison and Sharon appear together in 4 published lists, across 141 years of shared records. Sharon held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Alison in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Sharon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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 #33 in 1989 as Sharon fell out of it to #52, having been #39 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1976, Alison moved ahead of Sharon in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #31 and #25 the year before became #25 and #33.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alison and Sharon changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1603 and #2000.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Alison and Sharon averaged 37.1 places apart, ending at #22 and #88.
- Mirrored each other
Over 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Alison rose about as far as Sharon fell — from #76 and #47 in 1952 to #22 and #88 in 1982.
- Longest-running competitions
Alison and Sharon were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 31 years, from 1952 to 1982, ending at #22 and #88.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Sharon #539 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1964–2020
Alison held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Sharon in 25.
Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Sharon #5 in 1970.
The order changed in 1989: Alison moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #58 and #39; by 1989 that had become #33 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Alison #255, Sharon #834.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1952–1982
Alison held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sharon in 24.
Highest recorded here: Alison #18 in 1979, Sharon #2 in 1965.
The order changed in 1976: Alison moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #31 and #25; by 1976 that had become #25 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 1982: Alison #22, Sharon #88.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alison held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sharon in 13.
Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Sharon #539 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alison #1603, Sharon #2000.
New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1954–1979
Alison held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sharon in 25.
Highest recorded here: Alison #30 in 1966, Sharon #5 in 1964.
The order changed in 1955: Sharon moved ahead. In 1954 they stood at #33 and #36; by 1955 that had become #32 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 1979: Alison #70, Sharon #49.
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 | Sharon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From a Hebrew place name — a fertile plain on the central west coast of Israel, also referenced in the biblical 'rose of Sharon' flowering plant. Used as a feminine given name in English since the 1920s. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈʃæɹ.ən/ |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | Scotland · Girls #638 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sharon has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew (place name origin)); Alison does not have one recorded yet.
- Alison has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sharon.
- A meaning is recorded for Sharon; 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
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
Sharon
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #47 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 recorded1952–1982
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1965 (recorded 1952–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls