Barbara vs Polly

Barbara and Pollycompared 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.

England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Barbara was ranked #2000 and Polly #200 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Barbara was ranked #856 and Polly #296 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Barbara and Polly over time

Barbara and Polly appear together in 2 published lists, across 50 years of shared records. Polly held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Barbara in 0.

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 Polly 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 Polly changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1995 and 2023, ending at #856 and #296.

List by list

England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Barbara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Polly in 29.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #848 in 1996, Polly #156 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Barbara #2000, Polly #200.
Republic of Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1995–2023
Barbara held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Polly in 15.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #316 in 2015, Polly #296 in 2023.
The order changed in 2016: Polly moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #316 and #402; by 2016 that had become #585 and #359.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Barbara #856, Polly #296.

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 Barbara

Pairs where Barbara shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Anna vs Barbara
In 1964 they stood at #34 and #43 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2023 they were #23 and #856.
Anna · Barbara · 56 shared years, 1964–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking
Sarah vs Barbara
In 1964 they stood at #46 and #43 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2023 they were #62 and #856.
Sarah · Barbara · 56 shared years, 1964–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking
Maria vs Barbara
In 1964 they stood at #33 and #43 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2023 they were #73 and #856.
Maria · Barbara · 56 shared years, 1964–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking
Barbara vs Julia
In 1964 they stood at #43 and #42 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2023 they were #856 and #94.
Barbara · Julia · 56 shared years, 1964–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Barbara, Polly
Field	Barbara	Polly
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, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Girls #2000 (2024)	Republic of Ireland · Girls #325 (2025)
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 Polly.
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

Polly

Popularity journey

First recorded1995
First recorded at #516 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1995 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #156 among girls in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #325 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls