Barbara vs Phyllis
Barbara and Phylliscompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 1990, Barbara was ranked #208 and Phyllis #517 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Barbara was ranked #2000 and Phyllis #5891 among girls in England and Wales.
Barbara and Phyllis over time
Barbara and Phyllis appear together in 2 published lists, across 34 years of shared records. Barbara held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Phyllis in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Barbara #43 in 1964, Phyllis #226 in 1966.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1964–1990
Barbara held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Phyllis in 0.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #43 in 1964, Phyllis #226 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Barbara #208, Phyllis #517.
England and Wales · Girls12 shared years, 2001–2024
Barbara held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Phyllis in 0.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #886 in 2018, Phyllis #3262 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Barbara #2000, Phyllis #5891.
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 | Phyllis |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #2000 (2024) | England and Wales · Girls #5891 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Barbara has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Phyllis.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
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
Phyllis
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #327 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 recorded1964–1990
Highest recorded position: #226 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1966 (recorded 1964–1990).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls