Barbara vs Josephine
Barbara and Josephinecompared 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 1960, Barbara was ranked #22 and Josephine #99 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Barbara was ranked #2440 and Josephine #256 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2015, Barbara was ranked #543 and Josephine #436 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Barbara was ranked #856 and Josephine #445 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Barbara and Josephine over time
Barbara and Josephine appear together in 3 published lists, across 124 years of shared records. Josephine held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Barbara 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.
Barbara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Josephine 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Barbara and Josephine changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2023, ending at #856 and #445.
- Longest-running competitions
Barbara and Josephine were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2440 and #256.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Barbara #848 in 1996, Josephine #168 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2023
Barbara held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Josephine in 37.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #43 in 1964, Josephine #25 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Barbara #856, Josephine #445.
Norway · Girls38 shared years, 1951–2015
Barbara held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Josephine in 6.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #167 in 1960, Josephine #277 in 2012.
The order changed in 1995: Josephine moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #399 and #582; by 1995 that had become #615 and #500.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Barbara #543, Josephine #436.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Barbara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Josephine in 30.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #848 in 1996, Josephine #168 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Barbara #2440, Josephine #256.
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 | Josephine |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| Syllables | 3 | 4 |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #2440 (2025) | Norway · Girls #241 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Barbara has 3 syllables, compared with 4 for Josephine.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, 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 recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Josephine
Popularity journey
First recorded1951
First recorded at #367 among girls in Norway in 1951 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #256 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls