Namewise

Carol vs Paula

Carol and Paulacompared 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 Paula #27 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1968, Carol was ranked #90 and Paula #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1998, Carol was ranked #351 and Paula #213 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2010, Carol was ranked #663 and Paula #319 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2021, Carol was ranked #3519 and Paula #957 among girls in England and Wales.

Carol and Paula over time

Carol and Paula appear together in 4 published lists, across 94 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 2 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 3 of those lists, and Paula 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 1967, Paula moved ahead of Carol in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #61 and #84 the year before became #95 and #93.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Carol and Paula changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2010, ending at #663 and #319.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 45 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Carol and Paula averaged 46.6 places apart, ending at #663 and #319.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Carol and Paula were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 45 years, from 1964 to 2010, ending at #663 and #319.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Carol #802 in 1996, Paula #549 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1964–2010

    Carol held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Paula in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Carol #34 in 1968, Paula #15 in 1979.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Carol #663, Paula #319.

  • England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 1996–2021

    Carol held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Paula in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Carol #802 in 1996, Paula #549 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Carol #3519, Paula #957.

  • New Zealand · Girls15 shared years, 1954–1971

    Carol held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Paula in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Carol #19 in 1957, Paula #15 in 1970.

    The order changed in 1966: Paula moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #37 and #54; by 1966 that had become #46 and #45.

    Most recent shared year, 1971: Carol #96, Paula #27.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 1952–1968

    Carol held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Paula in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Carol #26 in 1952, Paula #65 in 1968.

    The order changed in 1967: Paula moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #61 and #84; by 1967 that had become #95 and #93.

    Most recent shared year, 1968: Carol #90, Paula #65.

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 Carol

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

Other comparisons involving Paula

Pairs where Paula 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Carol, Paula
FieldCarolPaula
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #3523 (2023)Norway · Girls #521 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Carol and Paula both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Carol

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1971

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1971).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2023

    Most recently recorded at #3523 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023.

    England and Wales · Boys

Paula

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #264 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1984

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1970 (recorded 1954–1984).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #521 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls