Alyson vs Marilyn
Alyson and Marilyncompared 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 1995, Alyson was ranked #516 and Marilyn #516 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2023, Alyson was ranked #4709 and Marilyn #2063 among girls in England and Wales.
Alyson and Marilyn over time
Alyson and Marilyn appear together in 1 published list, across 12 years of shared records. Marilyn held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Alyson in 0.
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.
Alyson reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Marilyn 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls12 shared years, 1996–2023
Alyson held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Marilyn in 8.
Highest recorded here: Alyson #1755 in 1996, Marilyn #1707 in 2013.
The order changed in 2003: Marilyn moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #2868 and #3409; by 2003 that had become #4373 and #1843.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alyson #4709, Marilyn #2063.
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 | Alyson | Marilyn |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #4709 (2023) | England and Wales · Girls #1541 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alyson and Marilyn both have 3 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Alyson
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1968–2021
Highest recorded position: #300 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1989 (recorded 1968–2021).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #4709 among girls in England and Wales, in 2023.
England and Wales · Girls
Marilyn
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #28 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 recorded1952–1956
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1956).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1541 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls