Namewise

Belinda vs Jessica

Belinda and Jessicacompared 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 1992, Belinda was ranked #88 and Jessica #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1981, Belinda was ranked #96 and Jessica #16 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 1998, Belinda was ranked #498 and Jessica #19 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Belinda was ranked #5927 and Jessica #139 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2013, Belinda was ranked #563 and Jessica #249 among girls in Norway.

Belinda and Jessica over time

Belinda and Jessica appear together in 4 published lists, across 109 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Belinda in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Belinda reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Jessica 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1982, Jessica moved ahead of Belinda in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #10 and #21 the year before became #17 and #7.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Belinda and Jessica changed places 7 times in Norway · Girls between 1966 and 2013, ending at #563 and #249.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 32 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Jessica rose about as far as Belinda fell — from #256 and #380 in 1966 to #498 and #19 in 1998.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Belinda and Jessica were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 33 years, from 1966 to 2013, ending at #563 and #249.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls33 shared years, 1966–2013

    Belinda held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Jessica in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Belinda #223 in 1976, Jessica #166 in 1990.

    The order changed in 1979: Jessica moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #258 and #297; by 1979 that had become #312 and #300.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Belinda #563, Jessica #249.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls32 shared years, 1966–1998

    Belinda held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Jessica in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Belinda #179 in 1967, Jessica #16 in 1993.

    The order changed in 1977: Jessica moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #215 and #222; by 1977 that had become #215 and #200.

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Belinda #498, Jessica #19.

  • England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1996–2025

    Belinda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jessica in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Belinda #571 in 1996, Jessica #1 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Belinda #5927, Jessica #139.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1976–1992

    Belinda held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Jessica in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Belinda #6 in 1976, Jessica #1 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1982: Jessica moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #10 and #21; by 1982 that had become #17 and #7.

    Most recent shared year, 1992: Belinda #88, Jessica #1.

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 Belinda

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

Other comparisons involving Jessica

Pairs where Jessica 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

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 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Belinda, Jessica
FieldBelindaJessica
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCoined by William Shakespeare for his 1596 play The Merchant of Venice, where it belongs to Shylock's daughter — likely based on the biblical name Iscah, also spelled Jescha/Jischa in some translations of Shakespeare's time.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/
Syllables33
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #5927 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jessica has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage); Belinda does not have one recorded yet.
  • Belinda and Jessica both have 3 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jessica; Belinda doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Belinda

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1957

    First recorded at #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1957–1992

    Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1974 (recorded 1957–1992).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #5927 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Jessica

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #471 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #139 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls