Alison vs Virginia
Alison and Virginiacompared 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 1954, Alison was ranked #33 and Virginia #94 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 1993, Alison was ranked #41 and Virginia #448 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1963, Alison was ranked #50 and Virginia #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alison was ranked #1603 and Virginia #2771 among girls in England and Wales.
Alison and Virginia over time
Alison and Virginia appear together in 3 published lists, across 57 years of shared records. Alison held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Virginia in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Virginia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 20 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Alison rose about as far as Virginia fell — from #146 and #245 in 1964 to #41 and #448 in 1993.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Virginia #974 in 1996.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alison held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Virginia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Virginia #974 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alison #1603, Virginia #2771.
Republic of Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 1964–1993
Alison held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Virginia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alison #41 in 1993, Virginia #245 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Alison #41, Virginia #448.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 1952–1963
Alison held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Virginia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alison #50 in 1963, Virginia #82 in 1953.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1963: Alison #50, Virginia #97.
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 | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #2771 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alison and Virginia both have 3 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, 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
Virginia
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #91 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 recorded1952–1963
Highest recorded position: #82 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1963).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2771 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls