Angela vs Donna
Angela and Donnacompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1982, Angela was ranked #21 and Donna #79 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1984, Angela was ranked #26 and Donna #90 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2004, Angela was ranked #316 and Donna #372 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Angela was ranked #372 and Donna #736 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Angela was ranked #1198 and Donna #5891 among girls in England and Wales.
Angela and Donna over time
Angela and Donna appear together in 4 published lists, across 141 years of shared records. Angela held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Donna in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Donna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Angela 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 1973, Angela moved ahead of Donna in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #27 and #21 the year before became #23 and #25.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Angela and Donna changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2024, ending at #372 and #736.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 27 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Angela and Donna averaged 32.3 places apart, ending at #21 and #79.
- Longest-running competitions
Angela and Donna were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 31 years, from 1954 to 1984, ending at #26 and #90.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Angela #382 in 1996, Donna #441 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1964–2024
Angela held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Donna in 24.
Highest recorded here: Angela #21 in 1965, Donna #33 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Angela #372, Donna #736.
New Zealand · Girls31 shared years, 1954–1984
Angela held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Donna in 13.
Highest recorded here: Angela #3 in 1975, Donna #6 in 1965.
The order changed in 1967: Angela moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #13 and #11; by 1967 that had become #7 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Angela #26, Donna #90.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Angela held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Donna in 0.
Highest recorded here: Angela #382 in 1996, Donna #441 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Angela #1198, Donna #5891.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls27 shared years, 1955–1982
Angela held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Donna in 17.
Highest recorded here: Angela #13 in 1974, Donna #5 in 1964.
The order changed in 1973: Angela moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #27 and #21; by 1973 that had become #23 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 1982: Angela #21, Donna #79.
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 | Angela | Donna |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Angela has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Donna.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Angela
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #362 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Donna
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–1982
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1964 (recorded 1953–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls