Namewise

Amanda vs Pamela

Amanda and Pamelacompared 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 1970, Amanda was ranked #23 and Pamela #74 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1964, Amanda was ranked #39 and Pamela #78 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Amanda was ranked #471 and Pamela #873 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Amanda was ranked #1036 and Pamela #2574 among girls in England and Wales.

Amanda and Pamela over time

Amanda and Pamela appear together in 4 published lists, across 96 years of shared records. Amanda held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Pamela in 1.

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.

Pamela reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Amanda 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 New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amanda moved into the top 50 at #48 in 1961 as Pamela fell out of it to #71, having been #48 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1961, Amanda moved ahead of Pamela in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #51 and #48 the year before became #48 and #71.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Amanda and Pamela were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 46 years, from 1964 to 2017, ending at #471 and #873.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Amanda #170 in 1996, Pamela #891 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #118 and #116 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2017 they were #471 and #873.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 19642017

    Amanda held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Pamela in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Amanda #15 in 1986, Pamela #30 in 1980.

    The order changed in 1982: Amanda moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #45 and #37; by 1982 that had become #43 and #47.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Amanda #471, Pamela #873.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Amanda held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Pamela in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Amanda #170 in 1996, Pamela #891 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Amanda #1036, Pamela #2574.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls11 shared years, 19541964

    Amanda held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Pamela in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Amanda #39 in 1964, Pamela #27 in 1955.

    The order changed in 1961: Amanda moved ahead. In 1960 they stood at #51 and #48; by 1961 that had become #48 and #71.

    Most recent shared year, 1964: Amanda #39, Pamela #78.

  • New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 19611970

    Amanda held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Pamela in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Amanda #23 in 1970, Pamela #45 in 1961.

    The order changed in 1963: Amanda moved ahead. In 1962 they stood at #92 and #50; by 1963 that had become #53 and #71.

    Most recent shared year, 1970: Amanda #23, Pamela #74.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Amanda, Pamela
FieldAmandaPamela
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
Syllables33
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #52 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2574 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Amanda and Pamela both have 3 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, 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 #52 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Pamela

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #20 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 recorded1952–1964

    Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1964).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #2574 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls