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Barbara vs Susan

Barbara and Susan compared 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 1969, Barbara was ranked #98 and Susan #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1971, Barbara was ranked #100 and Susan #17 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 1996, Barbara was ranked #623 and Susan #363 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Barbara was ranked #856 and Susan #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Barbara was ranked #2440 and Susan #2440 among girls in England and Wales.

Barbara and Susan over time

Republic of Ireland · Girls
#30#100#30019642023Barbara #856Susan #8561964: Barbara #43, Susan #221965: Barbara #45, Susan #181966: Barbara #48, Susan #211967: Barbara #45, Susan #151968: Barbara #47, Susan #141969: Barbara #56, Susan #171970: Barbara #59, Susan #191971: Barbara #49, Susan #231972: Barbara #54, Susan #211973: Barbara #67, Susan #241974: Barbara #63, Susan #181975: Barbara #71, Susan #201976: Barbara #67, Susan #201977: Barbara #71, Susan #191978: Barbara #74, Susan #251979: Barbara #84, Susan #281980: Barbara #95, Susan #291981: Barbara #78, Susan #301982: Barbara #103, Susan #271983: Barbara #117, Susan #291984: Barbara #100, Susan #301985: Barbara #123, Susan #371986: Barbara #144, Susan #331987: Barbara #164, Susan #411988: Barbara #185, Susan #461989: Barbara #171, Susan #521990: Barbara #208, Susan #691991: Barbara #224, Susan #811992: Barbara #229, Susan #741993: Barbara #356, Susan #921994: Barbara #212, Susan #881995: Barbara #352, Susan #1141996: Barbara #429, Susan #991997: Barbara #363, Susan #1551998: Barbara #380, Susan #1732000: Barbara #465, Susan #2272001: Barbara #498, Susan #1962003: Barbara #655, Susan #1742005: Barbara #689, Susan #2322006: Barbara #764, Susan #3032008: Barbara #597, Susan #5972009: Barbara #439, Susan #4882010: Barbara #555, Susan #2932011: Barbara #393, Susan #4372012: Barbara #560, Susan #6122013: Barbara #747, Susan #8942014: Barbara #876, Susan #5842015: Barbara #316, Susan #8962016: Barbara #585, Susan #5852018: Barbara #629, Susan #5682019: Barbara #621, Susan #6212021: Barbara #883, Susan #6612023: Barbara #856, Susan #856

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Norway · Girls
#30019461996Barbara #623Susan #3631946: Barbara #271, Susan #2391947: Barbara #322, Susan #2821951: Barbara #202, Susan #3131952: Barbara #220, Susan #2791953: Barbara #231, Susan #4131954: Barbara #237, Susan #2941955: Barbara #194, Susan #3381956: Barbara #208, Susan #2171957: Barbara #218, Susan #2341958: Barbara #275, Susan #2321959: Barbara #173, Susan #2251960: Barbara #167, Susan #2611961: Barbara #174, Susan #1721962: Barbara #193, Susan #2121963: Barbara #227, Susan #2191964: Barbara #256, Susan #1961965: Barbara #280, Susan #3191966: Barbara #242, Susan #2031967: Barbara #224, Susan #2271968: Barbara #214, Susan #2111969: Barbara #191, Susan #2461970: Barbara #181, Susan #2141971: Barbara #207, Susan #2821972: Barbara #298, Susan #2781973: Barbara #181, Susan #3171974: Barbara #258, Susan #2191975: Barbara #208, Susan #2501976: Barbara #249, Susan #2881977: Barbara #238, Susan #2601978: Barbara #221, Susan #2551979: Barbara #168, Susan #2591980: Barbara #185, Susan #3551981: Barbara #198, Susan #4161982: Barbara #219, Susan #6041983: Barbara #167, Susan #3731984: Barbara #182, Susan #4491985: Barbara #204, Susan #2691986: Barbara #207, Susan #2611987: Barbara #247, Susan #5061988: Barbara #304, Susan #4631989: Barbara #258, Susan #6931990: Barbara #434, Susan #4011991: Barbara #316, Susan #3321992: Barbara #294, Susan #5231993: Barbara #367, Susan #5481994: Barbara #399, Susan #4571995: Barbara #615, Susan #5991996: Barbara #623, Susan #363

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Barbara and Susan over time

Barbara and Susan appear together in 5 published lists, across 165 years of shared records. Susan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Barbara in 1.

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

Barbara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Susan 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 Susan changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #2440 and #2440.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Barbara and Susan were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2440 and #2440.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Barbara #848 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls53 shared years, 1964–2023

    Barbara held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Susan in 44.

    Highest recorded here: Barbara #43 in 1964, Susan #14 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Barbara #856, Susan #856.

  • Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1946–1996

    Barbara held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Susan in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Barbara #167 in 1960, Susan #172 in 1961.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1996: Barbara #623, Susan #363.

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

    Barbara held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Susan in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Barbara #848 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Barbara #2440, Susan #2440.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1952–1969

    Barbara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Susan in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Barbara #16 in 1953, Susan #1 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1969: Barbara #98, Susan #11.

  • New Zealand · Girls17 shared years, 1954–1971

    Barbara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Susan in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Barbara #10 in 1954, Susan #1 in 1955.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1971: Barbara #100, Susan #17.

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.

Other comparisons involving Susan

Pairs where Susan 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 South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia'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 South Wales, Australia overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 1960s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1960 and 1969.

The 1960s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Barbara, Susan
FieldBarbaraSusan
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #2440 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2440 (2025)
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Barbara has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Susan.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Barbara

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1971

    Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1971).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Susan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #239 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1985

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1985).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls