Cheryl vs Marlene

Cheryl and Marlenecompared 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.

Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2011, Cheryl was ranked #550 and Marlene #937 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Cheryl was ranked #5891 and Marlene #4843 among girls in England and Wales.

Cheryl and Marlene over time

Cheryl and Marlene appear together in 2 published lists, across 37 years of shared records. Cheryl held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Marlene in 0.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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
Cheryl and Marlene changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #5891 and #4843.

List by list

England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 1996–2024
Cheryl held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Marlene in 5.
Highest recorded here: Cheryl #671 in 1996, Marlene #1585 in 2006.
The order changed in 2020: Marlene moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #2674 and #3985; by 2020 that had become #5493 and #3117.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cheryl #5891, Marlene #4843.
Republic of Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1970–2011
Cheryl held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Marlene in 1.
Highest recorded here: Cheryl #209 in 1983, Marlene #326 in 1970.
The order changed in 1977: Cheryl moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #363 and #326; by 1977 that had become #329 and #429.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Cheryl #550, Marlene #937.

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 Cheryl

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

Christine vs Cheryl
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Christine #1 in 1952, Cheryl #11 in 1952.
Christine · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1952 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Susan vs Cheryl
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Susan #1 in 1954, Cheryl #11 in 1952.
Susan · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1954 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Kerry vs Cheryl
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Kerry and Cheryl averaged 5.1 places apart, ending at #79 and #94.
Kerry · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1972 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Anne vs Cheryl
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anne and Cheryl averaged 6.5 places apart, ending at #75 and #94.
Anne · Cheryl · 21 shared years, 1952–1972 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1972 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Cheryl, Marlene
Field	Cheryl	Marlene
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, IE, NZ	GB-ENW, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Girls #5891 (2024)	Norway · Girls #516 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	82/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Cheryl has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Marlene.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Cheryl

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #11 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 recorded1952–1972
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1972).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls

Marlene

Popularity journey

First recorded1967
First recorded at #519 among girls in Norway in 1967 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1967–2025
Highest recorded position: #91 among girls in Norway, in 1987 (recorded 1967–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #516 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls