Namewise

Amanda vs Jessica

Amanda and Jessicacompared 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 1997, Amanda was ranked #72 and Jessica #1 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1999, Amanda was ranked #84 and Jessica #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Amanda was ranked #52 and Jessica #474 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Amanda was ranked #354 and Jessica #62 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Amanda was ranked #983 and Jessica #139 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Amanda was ranked #608 and Jessica #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Amanda and Jessica over time

Amanda and Jessica appear together in 6 published lists, across 199 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Amanda in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Amanda reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Jessica in 1. 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 1983, Jessica moved ahead of Amanda in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #4 and #7 the year before became #5 and #3.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 24 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amanda and Jessica averaged 32.7 places apart, ending at #84 and #2.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Amanda and Jessica were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #983 and #139.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025

    Amanda held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Jessica in 36.

    Highest recorded here: Amanda #15 in 1986, Jessica #12 in 1995.

    The order changed in 1990: Jessica moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #25 and #44; by 1990 that had become #33 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amanda #608, Jessica #141.

  • Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1971–2025

    Amanda held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Jessica in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Amanda #26 in 2016, Jessica #143 in 2010.

    The order changed in 1988: Amanda moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #292 and #230; by 1988 that had become #173 and #229.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amanda #52, Jessica #474.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Amanda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jessica in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Amanda #170 in 1996, Jessica #1 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amanda #983, Jessica #139.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 1976–1999

    Amanda held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Jessica in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Amanda #2 in 1980, Jessica #1 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1983: Jessica moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #4 and #7; by 1983 that had become #5 and #3.

    Most recent shared year, 1999: Amanda #84, Jessica #2.

  • New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1977–1997

    Amanda held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Jessica in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Amanda #4 in 1985, Jessica #1 in 1990.

    The order changed in 1982: Jessica moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #14 and #16; by 1982 that had become #13 and #12.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Amanda #72, Jessica #1.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls15 shared years, 1997–2022

    Amanda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jessica in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Amanda #164 in 1998, Jessica #4 in 2008.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Amanda #354, Jessica #62.

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 Amanda

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

Other comparisons involving Jessica

Pairs where Jessica 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 moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Amanda, Jessica
FieldAmandaJessica
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCoined by William Shakespeare for his 1596 play The Merchant of Venice, where it belongs to Shylock's daughter — likely based on the biblical name Iscah, also spelled Jescha/Jischa in some translations of Shakespeare's time.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/
Syllables33
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #52 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jessica has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage); Amanda does not have one recorded yet.
  • Amanda and Jessica both have 3 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jessica; Amanda doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Amanda

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1954

    First recorded at #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1999

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1980 (recorded 1954–1999).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #983 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Jessica

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #471 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #139 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls