Barbara vs Carol
Barbara and Carolcompared 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 1967, Barbara was ranked #85 and Carol #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1971, Barbara was ranked #100 and Carol #96 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Barbara was ranked #555 and Carol #663 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2021, Barbara was ranked #1351 and Carol #3519 among girls in England and Wales.
Barbara and Carol over time
Barbara and Carol appear together in 4 published lists, across 98 years of shared records. Carol held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Barbara 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.
Barbara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Carol 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Barbara and Carol changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1967, ending at #85 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Barbara and Carol were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 41 years, from 1964 to 2010, ending at #555 and #663.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Barbara #848 in 1996, Carol #802 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls41 shared years, 1964–2010
Barbara held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Carol in 40.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #43 in 1964, Carol #34 in 1968.
The order changed in 2010: Barbara moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #764 and #635; by 2010 that had become #555 and #663.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Barbara #555, Carol #663.
England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 1996–2021
Barbara held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Carol in 2.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #848 in 1996, Carol #802 in 1996.
The order changed in 1998: Barbara moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #1045 and #897; by 1998 that had become #1392 and #1480.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Barbara #1351, Carol #3519.
New Zealand · Girls17 shared years, 1954–1971
Barbara held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Carol in 11.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #10 in 1954, Carol #19 in 1957.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1971: Barbara #100, Carol #96.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls16 shared years, 1952–1967
Barbara held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Carol in 10.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #16 in 1953, Carol #26 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1967: Barbara #85, Carol #95.
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 | Barbara | Carol |
|---|---|---|
| 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, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #2000 (2024) | England and Wales · Boys #3523 (2023) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Barbara has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Carol.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Barbara
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #271 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1971
Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1971).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Carol
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #26 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
Highest recorded1954–1971
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1971).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #3523 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023.
England and Wales · Boys