Cheryl vs Mary
Cheryl and Marycompared 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 1973, Cheryl was ranked #84 and Mary #66 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1972, Cheryl was ranked #94 and Mary #70 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Cheryl was ranked #873 and Mary #91 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Cheryl was ranked #5891 and Mary #337 among girls in England and Wales.
Cheryl and Mary over time
Cheryl and Mary appear together in 4 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Mary held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cheryl in 1.
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.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Cheryl in 1. 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 1964, Mary moved ahead of Cheryl in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #28 and #33 the year before became #36 and #23.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Cheryl and Mary averaged 8.0 places apart, ending at #94 and #70.
- Longest-running competitions
Cheryl and Mary were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 34 years, from 1965 to 2017, ending at #873 and #91.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Cheryl #671 in 1996, Mary #118 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1965–2017
Cheryl held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 34.
Highest recorded here: Cheryl #179 in 1989, Mary #1 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Cheryl #873, Mary #91.
England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1996–2024
Cheryl held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 28.
Highest recorded here: Cheryl #671 in 1996, Mary #118 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cheryl #5891, Mary #337.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1952–1972
Cheryl held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Mary in 10.
Highest recorded here: Cheryl #11 in 1952, Mary #19 in 1952.
The order changed in 1964: Mary moved ahead. In 1963 they stood at #28 and #33; by 1964 that had become #36 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Cheryl #94, Mary #70.
New Zealand · Girls17 shared years, 1954–1973
Cheryl held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Mary in 15.
Highest recorded here: Cheryl #51 in 1970, Mary #6 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1973: Cheryl #84, Mary #66.
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 | Cheryl | Mary |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #5891 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cheryl and Mary both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
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
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #518 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls