Bente vs Karen
Bente and Karencompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2011, Bente was ranked #568 and Karen #176 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2004, Bente was ranked #4598 and Karen #667 among girls in England and Wales.
Bente and Karen over time
Bente and Karen appear together in 1 published list, across 61 years of shared records. Bente held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Karen 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.
Karen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Bente 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 1985, Karen moved ahead of Bente in Norway · Girls — #78 and #93 the year before became #98 and #93.
- Longest-running competitions
Bente and Karen were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 61 years, from 1945 to 2011, ending at #568 and #176.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1945 they stood at #66 and #70 in Norway · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2011 they were #568 and #176.
List by list
Norway · Girls61 shared years, 1945–2011
Bente held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Karen in 21.
Highest recorded here: Bente #2 in 1955, Karen #57 in 1946.
The order changed in 1985: Karen moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #78 and #93; by 1985 that had become #98 and #93.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Bente #568, Karen #176.
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 Bente
Pairs where Bente shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Bente vs Marie
In 1945 they stood at #66 and #73 in Norway · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2011 they were #568 and #24.
Bente · Marie · 61 shared years, 1945–2011 · Started together, ended far apart
- Bente vs Vibeke
Bente and Vibeke changed places 13 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2007, ending at #587 and #579.
Bente · Vibeke · 60 shared years, 1945–2007 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Hilde vs Bente
In 1963, Hilde moved ahead of Bente in Norway · Girls — #3 and #2 the year before became #2 and #8.
Hilde · Bente · 61 shared years, 1945–2011 · One moved ahead of the other
- Heidi vs Bente
In 1968, Heidi moved ahead of Bente in Norway · Girls — #8 and #5 the year before became #3 and #8.
Heidi · Bente · 61 shared years, 1945–2011 · One moved ahead of the other
Other comparisons involving Karen
Pairs where Karen shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Karen vs Anna
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #34 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #19.
Karen · Anna · 56 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Karen vs Julia
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #42 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #59.
Karen · Julia · 56 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Karen vs Maria
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #33 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #63.
Karen · Maria · 56 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Karen vs Christina
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #40 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #325.
Karen · Christina · 56 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs from Norway lists
Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.
- Ingrid vs Wenche
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #22 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2008 they were #6 and #621.
Ingrid · Wenche · 58 shared years, 1945–2008 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Torill
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #39 in Norway · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2004 they were #10 and #599.
Anna · Torill · 55 shared years, 1945–2004 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ingrid vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2006 they were #6 and #583.
Ingrid · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2006 they were #10 and #583.
Anna · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.
- Hayley vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #57 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #478 and #4867.
Hayley · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Natalie vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #42 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #634 and #4867.
Natalie · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jennifer vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #54 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2025 they were #650 and #4867.
Jennifer · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Lily vs Nicola
In 1996 they stood at #85 and #87 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #2 and #4201.
Lily · Nicola · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Bente | Karen |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #568 (2011) | Norway · Girls #442 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Bente and Karen both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
How each name got here
Bente
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #66 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2011
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Norway, in 1955 (recorded 1945–2011).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2011
Most recently recorded at #568 among girls in Norway, in 2011.
Norway · Girls
Karen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls