Namewise

Ashleigh vs Jessica

Ashleigh 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 2005, Ashleigh was ranked #72 and Jessica #5 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2005, Ashleigh was ranked #87 and Jessica #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2016, Ashleigh was ranked #440 and Jessica #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Ashleigh was ranked #764 and Jessica #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ashleigh was ranked #2788 and Jessica #139 among girls in England and Wales.

Ashleigh and Jessica over time

Ashleigh and Jessica appear together in 5 published lists, across 124 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ashleigh in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.

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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ashleigh and Jessica averaged 31.3 places apart, ending at #87 and #6.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 37 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Jessica rose about as far as Ashleigh fell — from #417 and #383 in 1971 to #764 and #66 in 2021.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ashleigh and Jessica were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2788 and #139.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Ashleigh #8 in 1992, Jessica #1 in 1990.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls37 shared years, 1971–2021

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jessica in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #162 in 1995, Jessica #12 in 1995.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Ashleigh #764, Jessica #66.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #58 in 1996, Jessica #1 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ashleigh #2788, Jessica #139.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1985–2005

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jessica in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #13 in 1993, Jessica #1 in 1985.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Ashleigh #87, Jessica #6.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1986–2005

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jessica in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #8 in 1992, Jessica #1 in 1990.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Ashleigh #72, Jessica #5.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2016

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jessica in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #87 in 1997, Jessica #4 in 2008.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Ashleigh #440, Jessica #14.

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 Ashleigh

Pairs where Ashleigh 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand'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 Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ashleigh, Jessica
FieldAshleighJessica
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/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #2788 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)53/10082/100
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); Ashleigh does not have one recorded yet.
  • Ashleigh has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jessica.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jessica; Ashleigh doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Ashleigh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #417 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1986–2005

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1992 (recorded 1986–2005).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2788 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