Carol vs Denise
Carol and Denisecompared 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 Zealand · Girls
In 1971, Carol was ranked #96 and Denise #61 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1968, Carol was ranked #90 and Denise #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 1998, Carol was ranked #351 and Denise #261 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Carol was ranked #663 and Denise #663 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2021, Carol was ranked #3519 and Denise #5581 among girls in England and Wales.
Carol and Denise over time
Carol and Denise appear together in 4 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Carol reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Denise 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 1971, Denise moved ahead of Carol in New Zealand · Girls — #73 and #82 the year before became #96 and #61.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Carol and Denise changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2021, ending at #3519 and #5581.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 45 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Carol and Denise averaged 48.7 places apart, ending at #663 and #663.
- Longest-running competitions
Carol and Denise were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 45 years, from 1964 to 2010, ending at #663 and #663.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Carol #802 in 1996, Denise #664 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1964–2010
Carol held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Denise in 34.
Highest recorded here: Carol #34 in 1968, Denise #31 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Carol #663, Denise #663.
England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 1996–2021
Carol held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Denise in 19.
Highest recorded here: Carol #802 in 1996, Denise #664 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Carol #3519, Denise #5581.
New Zealand · Girls18 shared years, 1954–1971
Carol held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Denise in 8.
Highest recorded here: Carol #19 in 1957, Denise #23 in 1960.
The order changed in 1971: Denise moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #73 and #82; by 1971 that had become #96 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 1971: Carol #96, Denise #61.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1952–1968
Carol held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Denise in 8.
Highest recorded here: Carol #26 in 1952, Denise #22 in 1953.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1968: Carol #90, Denise #91.
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 | Carol | Denise |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #2133 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #4867 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Carol has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Denise.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Carol
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #26 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1971
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1971).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2133 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Denise
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1969
Highest recorded position: #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1969).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls