Amy vs Jessica
Amy 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 2012, Amy was ranked #82 and Jessica #23 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2012, Amy was ranked #90 and Jessica #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #275 and Jessica #48 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #253 and Jessica #127 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #138 and Jessica #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #366 and Jessica #139 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #457 and Jessica #474 among girls in Norway.
Amy and Jessica over time
Amy and Jessica appear together in 6 published lists, across 234 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Amy 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.
Amy 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 1982, Jessica moved ahead of Amy in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #9 and #21 the year before became #8 and #7.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amy and Jessica changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1970 and 2025, ending at #457 and #474.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amy and Jessica averaged 20.3 places apart, ending at #90 and #24.
- Mirrored each other
Over 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jessica rose about as far as Amy fell — from #47 and #96 in 1976 to #90 and #24 in 2012.
- Longest-running competitions
Amy and Jessica were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #366 and #139.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Amy #7 in 1983, Jessica #1 in 1984.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #9 and #3 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #366 and #139.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1967–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Jessica in 10.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 2004, Jessica #12 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #138, Jessica #141.
Norway · Girls45 shared years, 1970–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jessica in 42.
Highest recorded here: Amy #269 in 2008, Jessica #143 in 2010.
The order changed in 2025: Amy moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #431 and #387; by 2025 that had become #457 and #474.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #457, Jessica #474.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls36 shared years, 1976–2012
Amy held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Jessica in 30.
Highest recorded here: Amy #7 in 1983, Jessica #1 in 1984.
The order changed in 1982: Jessica moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #9 and #21; by 1982 that had become #8 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #90, Jessica #24.
New Zealand · Girls36 shared years, 1977–2012
Amy held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Jessica in 30.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1984, Jessica #1 in 1990.
The order changed in 1983: Jessica moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #7 and #12; by 1983 that had become #7 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #82, Jessica #23.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jessica in 30.
Highest recorded here: Amy #9 in 1996, Jessica #1 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #366, Jessica #139.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Amy held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Jessica in 18.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1998, Jessica #4 in 2008.
The order changed in 2006: Jessica moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #7 and #19; by 2006 that had become #14 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #253, Jessica #127.
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 | Amy | Jessica |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Coined 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. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #138 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jessica has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage); Amy does not have one recorded yet.
- Amy has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jessica.
- A meaning is recorded for Jessica; Amy doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Amy
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #262 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1975–2012
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1975–2012).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #366 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Jessica
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #139 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls