Namewise

Alison vs Susan

Alison and Susancompared 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 1985, Alison was ranked #35 and Susan #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1979, Alison was ranked #70 and Susan #50 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Alison was ranked #226 and Susan #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2008, Alison was ranked #370 and Susan #311 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Alison was ranked #1603 and Susan #2253 among girls in England and Wales.

Alison and Susan over time

Alison and Susan appear together in 5 published lists, across 155 years of shared records. Alison held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Susan in 2.

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.

Susan 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 Susan fell out of it to #52, having been #46 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1971, Alison moved ahead of Susan in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #34 and #17 the year before became #23 and #25.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alison and Susan changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1603 and #2253.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Alison and Susan averaged 43.1 places apart, ending at #35 and #96.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alison and Susan were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 34 years, from 1952 to 1985, ending at #35 and #96.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1964–2023

    Alison held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Susan in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Susan #14 in 1968.

    The order changed in 1989: Alison moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #58 and #46; by 1989 that had become #33 and #52.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Alison #226, Susan #856.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls34 shared years, 1952–1985

    Alison held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Susan in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #18 in 1979, Susan #1 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1971: Alison moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #34 and #17; by 1971 that had become #23 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 1985: Alison #35, Susan #96.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Alison held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Susan in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alison #1603, Susan #2253.

  • New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1954–1979

    Alison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Susan in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #30 in 1966, Susan #1 in 1955.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1979: Alison #70, Susan #50.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 1997–2008

    Alison held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Susan in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #118 in 1998, Susan #187 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2004: Susan moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #252 and #339; by 2004 that had become #273 and #212.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Alison #370, Susan #311.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Alison

Pairs where Alison shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Susan

Pairs where Susan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alison, Susan
FieldAlisonSusan
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2253 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alison has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Susan.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Alison

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1996

    Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1979 (recorded 1952–1996).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Susan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #239 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1985

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1985).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #2253 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls