Aoife vs Jessica
Aoife and Jessica compared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Aoife was ranked #4 and Jessica #127 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Aoife was ranked #34 and Jessica #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Aoife was ranked #87 and Jessica #48 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Aoife was ranked #192 and Jessica #139 among girls in England and Wales.
Aoife and Jessica over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Aoife and Jessica over time
Aoife and Jessica appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Aoife held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Jessica in 1.
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.
Jessica reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Aoife 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2013, Aoife moved ahead of Jessica in Northern Ireland · Girls — #10 and #5 the year before became #7 and #9.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Aoife and Jessica changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #4 and #127.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Aoife and Jessica averaged 14.3 places apart, ending at #4 and #127.
- Longest-running competitions
Aoife and Jessica were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #192 and #139.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Aoife held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Jessica in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aoife #1 in 2000, Jessica #12 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aoife #34, Jessica #141.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Aoife held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jessica in 30.
Highest recorded here: Aoife #167 in 2015, Jessica #1 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aoife #192, Jessica #139.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Aoife held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Jessica in 12.
Highest recorded here: Aoife #4 in 2024, Jessica #4 in 2008.
The order changed in 2013: Aoife moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #10 and #5; by 2013 that had become #7 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aoife #4, 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.
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 Aoife
Pairs where Aoife shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Aoife vs Rachael
In 1997 they stood at #17 and #25 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2017 they were #14 and #432.
Aoife · Rachael · 19 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
- Aoife vs Nicole
In 1997 they stood at #17 and #16 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #4 and #407.
Aoife · Nicole · 27 shared years, 1997–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Aoife vs Danielle
In 1997 they stood at #17 and #24 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2023 they were #8 and #391.
Aoife · Danielle · 21 shared years, 1997–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
- Aoife vs Heather
Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Aoife rose about as far as Heather fell — from #206 and #167 in 1964 to #34 and #325 in 2025.
Aoife · Heather · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Mirrored each other
Other comparisons involving Jessica
Pairs where Jessica shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Jessica vs Megan
In 1996 they stood at #3 and #10 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #139 and #816.
Jessica · Megan · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jessica vs Bethany
In 1996 they stood at #3 and #13 in England and Wales · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2025 they were #139 and #585.
Jessica · Bethany · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jessica vs Courtney
In 1997 they stood at #15 and #12 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2017 they were #25 and #432.
Jessica · Courtney · 21 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jessica vs Rachael
In 1997 they stood at #15 and #25 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2017 they were #25 and #432.
Jessica · Rachael · 19 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.
- Emily vs Amelia
In 2011, Amelia moved ahead of Emily in England and Wales · Girls — #3 and #5 the year before became #5 and #1.
Emily · Amelia · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
- Sophie vs Amelia
In 2011, Amelia moved ahead of Sophie in England and Wales · Girls — #2 and #5 the year before became #6 and #1.
Sophie · Amelia · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
- Sarah vs Angela
In 1974, Sarah moved ahead of Angela in New Zealand · Girls — #6 and #5 the year before became #1 and #6.
Sarah · Angela · 36 shared years, 1958–1998 · One moved ahead of the other
- Emma vs Aoife
In 2003, Emma moved ahead of Aoife in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #4 and #2 the year before became #1 and #3.
Emma · Aoife · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists
Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.
- Charlotte vs Jodie
In 1997 they stood at #72 and #77 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2021 they were #13 and #446.
Charlotte · Jodie · 23 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emily vs Rachael
In 1997 they stood at #32 and #25 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2017 they were #1 and #432.
Emily · Rachael · 19 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
- Grace vs Fiona
In 1997 they stood at #57 and #66 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2017 they were #2 and #432.
Grace · Fiona · 18 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
- Oliver vs Colin
In 1997 they stood at #100 and #96 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2021 they were #5 and #433.
Oliver · Colin · 21 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Aoife | 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 | Not yet recorded | /ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #34 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jessica has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage); Aoife does not have one recorded yet.
- Aoife has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jessica.
- A meaning is recorded for Jessica; Aoife doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Aoife
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #206 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2000 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #192 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