Alison vs Tess
Alison and Tesscompared 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 Tess #148 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2013, Alison was ranked #440 and Tess #218 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alison was ranked #1603 and Tess #2771 among girls in England and Wales.
Alison and Tess over time
Alison and Tess appear together in 2 published lists, across 59 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Alison reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Tess 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2018, Tess moved ahead of Alison in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #145 and #170 the year before became #162 and #162.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alison and Tess changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1603 and #2771.
- Longest-running competitions
Alison and Tess were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 30 years, from 1990 to 2025, ending at #213 and #148.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls30 shared years, 1990–2025
Alison held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Tess in 7.
Highest recorded here: Alison #38 in 1990, Tess #133 in 2021.
The order changed in 2018: Tess moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #145 and #170; by 2018 that had become #162 and #162.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alison #213, Tess #148.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alison held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Tess in 21.
Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Tess #423 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alison #1603, Tess #2771.
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 | Tess |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #148 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alison has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Tess.
- 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
Tess
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #517 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1990–2025
Highest recorded position: #133 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2021 (recorded 1990–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #148 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls